The breakfast clubs will ensure that all children can have a “healthy, positive start to the school day”

St Matthews CofE Primary School (left) and Carterhatch Infant School (right) — St Matthew’s CofE Primary School (left) and Carterhatch Infant School (right)

Two schools in Enfield will be among the first to benefit from the government’s new breakfast clubs initiative, it’s been announced.

Carterhatch Infant School and St Matthew’s CofE Primary School in Ponders End will join a pilot phase of the scheme targeting areas with higher deprivation levels. Both Ponders End and Carterhatch wards, in which the schools reside, are in the top 10% most deprived wards in England.

The breakfast clubs will ensure that all children can have a “healthy, positive start to the school day” and will complement the mayor of London’s universal free school meals scheme, which has been providing every primary school child in London with a “warm, nutritious lunch” for over 18 months.

Joanne McCartney, the London Assembly member for Enfield and Haringey, has led the universal free school meals programme in her role as the deputy mayor for children and families. Reacting to the news about breakfast clubs, she said: “All our children deserve to be healthy and well fed so that they can learn and reach their potential.

“I am delighted that the new government has launched their breakfast club scheme and that some of our local schools will be the first to benefit from this ground-breaking programme.

“Together with the mayor of London’s universal free school meals programme this means that our children will be entitled to two healthy meals every school day. This will mean that children are more able to learn and will relieve pressure on family finances.”

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