Ministers should consider renaming their flagship free breakfast club scheme to capture all benefits for families, an evaluation recommended. Research commissioned by the Department for Education and carried out by Ipsos Mori found more than half of parents with children attending the first breakfast clubs said they spend less on childcare, while a third said they have more money for other needs. It found just eight per cent of parents cited getting a free healthy breakfast in their top three reasons for sending their child to the club. It was a key policy for all primary schools to provide a free breakfast club by 2029 in Labour’s 2024 election manifesto. They have been rolled out to 2,797 schools so far after 750 schools became “early adopters” in April last year. Now an evaluation of the early adopters programme has found widespread benefits to participating families, and has recommended the DfE consider renaming breakfast clubs to “before-school clubs” or “morning clubs” to “better capture the comprehensive nature of the provision”. Parent benefits Ipsos Mori surveyed a total 5,487 parents, covering 321 schools with a free breakfast club. They also conducted in-depth interviews with parents and observed eight sample schools. Parents were asked the top three reasons why they have signed up to a breakfast club. The most common answers given were enabling longer working hours (53 per cent), their child enjoying going (43 per cent), and making school drop-off easier (35 per cent). Source: Department for Education Meanwhile just eight per cent said it was because their child eats a healthy breakfast. When asked about the impact of provision, more than half (52 per cent) of parents said they were spending less on childcare, while 33 per cent said they have more money for other needs. A further 22 per cent of parent said they were less likely to run out of food before payday. However, full-time employed parents reported using the free breakfast club more than families eligible for free school meals – at 79 per cent versus 66 per cent. Of all the families, 67 per cent reported they were satisfied with the provision, which was higher among families with SEND children (78 per cent). The report said the DfE should consider “strengthening the program narrative beyond breakfast provision”, as the evidence shows “multiple interconnected benefits that extend beyond food provision”. “The department should consider strengthening the programme branding and communication strategy to reflect this broader value proposition. Rather than ‘breakfast clubs,’ consider terminology such as ‘before-school clubs’ or ‘morning clubs’ that better captures the comprehensive nature of the provision.” Researchers also recommended ministers implement “universal messaging strategies” after they found some parents were not aware all children were eligible for free breakfast clubs. This should include reaching free school meal-eligible families who “show lower usage despite potentially greater need”, the report said. They also recommended messaging should shift from “need to opportunity”, emphasising broader benefits that will resonate with families. This could include highlighting pupil enjoyment, the calm transition to learning and enabling employment.