It is commonly accepted and understood that education is important – opening up opportunities, empowering young people to live the best life they can – and one of the most effective things we can do as parents, schools, and services is remove barriers to obtaining that education. One of those barriers is coming to school hungry, and so not being ready or able to learn.
In 2013, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conducted a national survey with 23,745 student volunteers. The survey revealed that 14.8% of these students, across Australia, did not eat breakfast before school. In NSW, it was 14.1% (ABS – 2013 CensusAtSchool).
In 2015, Foodbank Australia surveyed 500 school teachers, nationally, to better understand the issues facing students who did not eat breakfast prior to school (Foodbank May 2015 Report):
– 67% of teachers reported students coming to school hungry
– Hungry students usually lose 2 hours of learning capacity per day
– Even if a student comes to school hungry just once a week, that student can lose up to one term of learning capacity in a year
– 4 out of 5 teachers find it harder to teach a hungry student, as 73% of those students will lose concentration, 66% of students will feel lethargic and 52% of students will demonstrate behavioural problems
– When students have breakfast before school, teachers find that 97% of those students are healthier; additionally, 91% of the students have increased mental health outcomes
– Schools also found that when students eat at a before school breakfast program, 70% of the students have a more positive relationship with their broader community
Enter the Cranebrook Breakfast Club! 12 years ago, NCNS recognised this issue, and created the Breakfast Club, which runs every Monday to Friday between 07.30am to 08.45am (during school terms). At the Breakfast Club, students can eat healthy bowls of cereal, toast (with various spreads) and ham & cheese toasties. During the week, students can enjoy a glass of orange fruit juice and on Thursdays, a cup of Milo and milk. Students can also make and wrap a fresh sandwich to eat at lunchtime, and take a piece of fruit.
By Nepean Community & Neighbourhood Services providing our disadvantaged primary and high school students with a healthy breakfast every morning these same students will have the capacity to concentrate more in the classroom. With more attentive students, teachers can educate more effectively to inspire those same disadvantaged students to go on to achieve their lifelong dreams and in turn, significantly reducing intergenerational disadvantage.
In addition to accessing food, students are also encouraged to join in with activities including board games and UNO, while interacting with NCNS staff in our friendly, safe, non-judgemental environment, building important relationships.
On average, over 200 hungry and disadvantaged students each week called into the Cranebrook Neighbourhood Centre, in 2015, to eat breakfast before going to school.
NCNS would not be able to operate our unfunded Breakfast Club without our amazing partners: Kelloggs Breakfast Buddies, Braddock Primary School, Cranebrook High School and Penrith City Council, and we are very grateful for their support.
Want more info about the issues surrounding missing breakfast? Check out Youth Action’s report here.