Portsmouth South MP, Stephen Morgan, has called on the government to introduce breakfast clubs at all primary schools following a visit to Ark Ayrton Primary in Portsmouth.
The city MP visited the local school to speak with teachers and see how the school implements its breakfast club policy.
Mr Morgan said that the visit demonstrated how breakfast clubs can have a positive impact in attainment, behaviour, attendance and time-keeping for children, “so they all can start their school day the right way.”
Labour will deliver a modern childcare system from the end of parental leave to the end of primary school. As a first step on that road, a Labour government would deliver breakfast clubs in every primary school in England, and remove legal barriers to councils opening new childcare facilities.
The party will fund breakfast clubs from money raised by removing the non-dom tax status, so if you live here and make your life here, and use our public services here, you should pay your taxes here. That would raise over £3billion, £365million of which would fund breakfast clubs.
Labour’s plan will enable parents to work as well as strengthening children’s development, driving up standards in reading, writing and maths, contrasting this with the Conservatives’ failure to close the education attainment gap and support parents with young children to continue working the jobs and hours they choose.
Stephen Morgan MP, Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South said:
“Our plans to introduce fully funded breakfast clubs for every primary school in England are the first step on the road to a modern childcare system, supporting families from the end of parental leave to the end of primary school.
“It was fantastic to visit Ark Ayrton Primary and see first-hand the impact these clubs can have on the attainment, behaviour, attendance and time-keeping across the school.
“It’s so important now that we make these breakfast clubs available for every primary school child in Portsmouth and across the country, so they all can start their school day the right way.”
In his role as Shadow Schools Minister, Mr Morgan has also pledged to build the most ambitious school improvement programme for a generation to help children excel in sciences and maths, widening access to arts, music and drama and building a modern careers advice and work experience system paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.
