Breakfast clubs: guidance on food and funding (secondary)

Understand the requirements and expectations for running and charging for a breakfast club, as well as sources of funding and support.

New
on 20 August 2026
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 54065
Contents
  1. You can decide whether to run a breakfast club
  2. It’s up to you whether you serve food
  3. Look into external sources of funding and support
  4. Be clear on when you can charge parents/carers

You can decide whether to run a breakfast club

However, parents and carers have the right to request one.

You don't have to grant requests for school-based wraparound childcare (such as breakfast and after-school club, and holiday childcare), but you:

  • Must act reasonably when dealing with requests
  • Should be transparent about the process you choose to follow when granting or rejecting them

Take the wishes of parents/carers into account when considering offering extended services – try running a breakfast club on a trial basis to see how popular it is.

Childcare providers can also request to use school facilities to provide wraparound and/or holiday childcare when they're not in use by the school.

Read up on how to respond to such requests in the DfE’s guidance responding to requests for wraparound childcare.

It’s up to you whether you serve food

If