‘Breakfast Bonanza’ boosts brain power

Published by Riverside for Riverside in Education

Roald Dahl, wildlife and Far Eastern culture are just some of the themes at a Liverpool primary school breakfast club.

Funded by housing association Riverside, which donated £780 from its community chest fund, the ‘Breakfast Bonanza’ at Kirkby Primary School is proving to be the perfect start to the day.

The breakfasts are held in the school hall and children, parents and staff are all invited to eat together. The parents can also take away recipes so they can reproduce the meals at home.

Elaine Parr, Extended School Services Co-Ordinator at Kirkby Primary School, said: “Research has revealed that as many as one in seven children don’t have breakfast. Yet it is a well-known fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

“Children who eat breakfast perform better, both mentally and physically, than those who don’t. There is also a direct correlation between those who skip breakfast and obesity.”

Sophie Brown, Community Engagement Officer for Riverside, added: “No child should be prevented from attending a social club or miss out on well-balanced and nutritional food because of financial barriers.

“Often parents only attend school when there is a problem so it can be quite intimidating. Also some parents feel isolated on the playground if they don’t know other parents. The ‘Breakfast Bonanza’ addresses these issues in a relaxed social setting.”

By allowing the children to have an input into what food is bought, how it is prepared and how the hall is decorated, it is hoped they will learn new skills and be able to help their parents prepare healthy meals at home in the future.