Anger over charge for breakfast

ANGRY parents have criticised plans by an over-subscribed Cardiff school to charge £5 instead of offering the Welsh Government’s free breakfast club.

Pontprennau Primary sent a letter to parents saying the school would stop the free club and offer an alternative service via Supertots – a playgroup which runs from the premises – which would charge £5.

But after an outcry from parents the high performing primary has backed down, saying it will now consult on the proposed change.

If the free breakfast club ends, that will now take place from January 2019 rather than the start of the new academic year in September. Parents say the change will make the club unaffordable.

One said: “They are going to charge £5 per day making it totally unaffordable for many of the families that have been relying on it at the school. They haven’t discussed this with parents, just cut it. It’s disgusting of them to do this.”

Free breakfast clubs were a flagship Welsh Government education policy to ensure all pupils started the day with a nutritious meal and funded by the government via local councils.

In 2015, researchers at Cardiff University published evidence of direct, positive links between children eating breakfast and educational attainment.

In the first letter to parents about the planned changes Pontprennau’s chair of governors Catrin Lewis told parents they would have to register their children for places tomorrow for the paidfor club.

She apologised for the change, saying it was needed because numbers at the school are growing and the paidfor club would mean it could still accommodate 70 pupils each day from 8am to 9am.

But this plan and registration has now been cancelled while the school consults with parents and carers.

In a second letter to parents, sent outyesterday, the governors said: “In the light of the comments received following the initial letter, it is clear that there are address.

“We as a governing body have therefore taken the decision to undertake further consultation before reaching a final decision.

“Therefore the existing arrangements for Breakfast Club will continue for September with a consultation and review regarding possible new ways of working which will be implemented from January 2019.”

A Welsh Government spokesman issues that we need to said: “Wales led the way in the UK by introducing free breakfasts in primary schools in 2004.

“They are an integral part of the Welsh Government’s wider work to improve food and nutrition in schools and are intended to help improve the concentration of children by providing them with a healthy start to the school day.

“This is why we continue to provide funding to local authorities for this to happen.”