Free Breakfast Club

Every morning at St Bernard's begins with a warm welcome.

Our Free Breakfast Club is open every school day from 8.20am, giving children the opportunity to start their day with a nutritious breakfast, friendly conversation and a calm, positive beginning before lessons begin.

Children are welcomed through the main entrance, where they are greeted by familiar adults who know them well and are ready to help them begin the day feeling safe, settled and valued.

For us, Breakfast Club is far more than providing food.

It is the first opportunity each day to help children feel that they belong.

Intent

Our intention is to ensure that every child begins the school day feeling physically nourished, emotionally secure and fully prepared for learning.

We recognise that a positive start to the morning can have a lasting impact on children's wellbeing, concentration, attendance and readiness to learn. By providing a free, welcoming Breakfast Club, we aim to remove barriers that may prevent children from arriving at school ready to succeed.

Our Breakfast Club reflects our whole-school commitment to Hearts, Bodies, Voices, Minds Ready.

• Healthy Hearts – Children begin the day feeling welcomed, cared for and connected to their school community.
• Healthy Bodies – A nutritious breakfast provides the energy needed for learning and play.
• Positive Voices – Children enjoy conversations with friends and trusted adults, developing communication and confidence.
• Ready Minds – Calm routines help children settle, regulate emotions and prepare themselves for a successful day ahead.

We believe that every child deserves the very best start to every school day.

Implementation

Breakfast Club opens each morning at 8.20am, with children arriving through the school's main entrance, where they are welcomed by familiar members of staff.

A healthy breakfast is freshly prepared and served by our friendly school cooks, who are well known to the children and play an important role in creating the warm, family atmosphere that characterises our school. Their welcoming smiles and friendly conversations help children feel valued from the moment they arrive.

Children enjoy a nutritious breakfast together in a calm and relaxed environment, encouraging healthy eating habits while providing valuable opportunities to socialise with friends from across the school. These informal conversations help children build confidence, strengthen friendships and develop a positive sense of belonging before the school day begins.

Adults take time to notice how children are feeling, offering encouragement, reassurance and support whenever it is needed. For some children, Breakfast Club provides an important opportunity to settle anxieties, regulate emotions and prepare for the day ahead within a safe and nurturing environment.

As part of our wider attendance, inclusion and wellbeing strategy, Breakfast Club helps establish positive daily routines and ensures that children arrive in class calm, well-fed and ready to learn.

Breakfast Club is free of charge because we believe that every child should have equal access to a healthy breakfast and a positive start to the school day, regardless of their circumstances.

Impact

The impact of our Breakfast Club can be seen from the very beginning of each school day.

Children arrive feeling welcomed, valued and part of a caring school family. They begin the morning with full stomachs, positive relationships and a calm start that supports their emotional wellbeing and readiness to learn.

Children develop healthy eating habits while enjoying the opportunity to spend time with friends in a relaxed and nurturing environment. These positive social experiences strengthen friendships, improve confidence and help children feel connected to school.

Breakfast Club supports children's attendance, punctuality and engagement with learning by establishing consistent morning routines and reducing barriers that might otherwise affect the start of the school day.

Families know that their children begin each day in a safe, caring environment where they are looked after by adults who genuinely know and care about them.

Ultimately, Breakfast Club is about much more than breakfast.

It is about belonging.

It is about wellbeing.

It is about relationships.

It is about ensuring that every child walks into their classroom each morning feeling ready to learn, ready to grow and ready to succeed.

Because at St Bernard's, we believe that the best school days begin with a warm welcome.

This is how we continue becoming the school God wants us to be.

"Come and have breakfast."
John 21:12