Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - A welcome start

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill underwent its third and final reading in the House of Commons this afternoon. The Bill includes practical and tangible policy reforms which will reduce the cost of the school day for all families but make the biggest difference to the 4.3 million children who are currently growing up in poverty. We know from our extensive work through the Cost of the School Day project that sending a child to school comes with lots of additional and hidden costs for parents. For parents of primary school aged children, the minimum cost of education is £864.87, and for secondary school parents the minimum cost is £1,755.97. This Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is a welcome first step to tackling some of these costs and provides a foundation on which a more inclusive school system can be built.  

One of the largest costs for parents of both primary and secondary pupils is school uniform. CPAG analysis found that parents of primary school children are paying at a minimum £352.86 per year for uniform and P.E. kit, and parents of secondary school children are paying a minimum of £481.77 per year. Not only do high uniform costs add to already stretched family budgets, they also impact the experience that children and young people are having at school. DfE research has shown that children from households facing financial hardship are far more likely than their peers to have been sent home from school because they did not have the correct uniform. Our research with families and children also highlights that children have missed school when they only have one set of uniform which has not been washed or dried. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will reduce the cost of uniform for families by limiting the number of compulsory branded items schools can require. This will give families more flexibility, allowing them to purchase uniform from a wider range of affordable uniform suppliers and shops. It’s an important and welcome step towards reducing one of the biggest school costs that families face and will make a difference to families and children.  

The Bill will also introduce free universal breakfast clubs in all state-funded primary schools in England. We know from our research in schools that breakfast clubs, done well, can reduce childcare costs, support children to be ready for the school day and enable parents to get to work. For some families however, breakfast clubs are currently an additional cost meaning that their children are missing out on all the benefits. The Bill will ensure that all primary schools have free breakfast provision and this is welcome, however, government must ensure these costs don’t land on already stretched school budgets. For children and families, the policy will support a smoother start to the day and help prevent the morning hunger that distracts too many children from their learning. Universal approaches to school food are also welcome and this policy should be the first step towards a universal free school meals programme, making sure no one slips through the gaps, and everyone can enjoy the benefits of school meals.  

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is a good start, with practical policy changes that will make it easier for children to make the most of their time at school. It signals the government understands some of the challenges children growing up in poverty face in our education system – a system that should be working better for them. There is clearly much more the government must do in its forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy to reduce child poverty levels, including scrapping the cruel two-child limit policy. But this Bill will make a difference to the experiences children have inside of the school gates, and this is greatly needed.