A local primary school has said it has seen a “dramatic increase” over the past 18 months in the number of families who have been asking for help as they are struggling to put food on the table.

Wellesley Park Primary School in Homefield has found that many families were struggling to meet the rising costs of heating and food.

“We are seeing the real impact this is having on our pupils and their families,” said a school spokesman.

The school applied to Wellington Town Council for a £900 grant to help provide breakfast parcels with councillors being told that that the morning snack would “not only offer nutritional support, but also provide a sense of care and dignity during what can be a very challenging time of year.”

“By helping to ease the burden of food costs, families may be better able to afford heating and other necessities,” said the school spokesperson. “Research consistently shows that children who eat a healthy breakfast perform better academically.

“Studies have found that regular breakfast consumption improved cognitive function, memory, attention and test scores.”

Members of the council’s policy and finance committee agreed on Monday (January 12) quickly agreed to support the grant application.

Cllr Justin Cole said: “I’m a big fan of this sort of thing.”

Cllr Cole was a key instigator when the council supported Beech Grove Primary School in its plans to provide food snacks for pupils a couple of years ago.

He suggested once again that they reach out to other schools in the area to see if they would like to take part in a scheme.

Statistics show that children who eat breakfast regularly attend school more consistently and achieve up to 17.5 per cent higher scores. It has also been shown that eating breakfast supports better behaviour and emotional well-being – crucial for learning and development.

“By providing food parcels that include breakfast staples, we aim to support not only the physical health of our children, but also their educational outcomes,” added the school spokesperson. “This initiative aligns with our commitment to nurturing the whole child and supporting families in our community.”

The breakfast packages consisting of cereal, bread, butter, jam and fruit will be available for collection on a weekly basis and they will not just be for pupils, but also the parents and carers who take them to school in the morning.

The school spokesperson added: “We feel that this initiative is a strong link between the ethos of the town council’s aim to contribute towards the well-being of the local community and our desire to give our children and their families who may otherwise be going without a positive start to the day.”

Cllr Andrew Govier proposed that the council award Wellesley Park the requested £900 and this was supported by councillors.

Back in April 2024 councillors were shocked when they heard from Beech Grove School that children were arriving at school in the morning feeling hungry because they had not eaten breakfast.