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School applications open for breakfast club scheme in England

Download a printable version of this case study here.

The Government has committed to putting a breakfast club in every primary school in England as part of their ambition to address child poverty and support families.

Schools urged to join rollout

Applications are now open for up to 750 schools in England to sign up as ‘early adopters’ of the Government’s free breakfast club scheme.

Early adopter schools will be expected to provide “at least 30 minutes” of before-school provision as well as a nutritious meal. The initiative is set to start in April 2025.

In its guidance for early adopter schools, the Department for Education (DfE) is welcoming interest from schools “that already work with, or are considering working with PVI childcare providers, including childminders, to deliver their breakfast clubs”

Read the guidance for breakfast clubs early adopter schools for more information. Further guidance is expected in January 2025.

Impact on childminders and other PVI providers

In a recent PACEY survey of almost 450 childminders in England, 56% said they offer before-school provision and of these, two-thirds offer breakfast.

28% of PACEY survey respondents said they already have a relationship with local schools and/or early education settings in their area to support with wraparound provision.

PACEY is urging our childminder members to be the proactive party in terms of approaching your local authority, schools and other settings regarding your involvement in the breakfast club scheme, as well as the National Wraparound Childcare Programme and the recently announced childminder flexibilities that allow you to operate in non-domestic premises for a greater amount of time.

Helen Donohoe, Chief Executive at PACEY comments:

“We know that a nutritious breakfast in a calm and nurturing environment is an essential part of ensuring a child starts their day well.

“We will continue to work closely with the DfE to understand the important role that childminders and other PVI providers will play in the successful rollout of this scheme – particularly for families who require more than the 30-minute minimum provision that schools are expected to offer. We will continue to monitor how schools and local authorities engage with and include childminders in their plans. We are keen to hear from our members about any challenges or impact the scheme has on their business.”

How do the team see this through?

Pre-registration support

The Cambridgeshire team are heavily involved in ensuring prospective childminders are aware, prepared and committed.

All childminders registering in Cambridgeshire attend a two-hour pre-registration session plus four two-hour ‘Ready to mind’ sessions. The ‘Ready to mind’ sessions cover all aspects that prospective childminders need to start their childminding career, including SEND, Child Protection, Observation, Assessment and Planning and running a childminding business. This is a significant time commitment but ensures that prospective childminders are prepared to start their childminding career with both the national and local knowledge they will need.

These childminders are then supported through setting up their new childminding business, and all receive a visit from the team prior to their first graded inspection. This is a commitment beyond what many local authorities do but vital in ensuring that childminders have everything in place for their childminding business. As a result they feel supported, less isolated and are clear of what to expect from their first graded inspection.

The team plan this visit when the first children arrive in the setting and gift a welcome pack, providing all the information they may need in the early stages of their childminding journey.

How do Cambridgeshire retain these skilled and passionate childminders throughout their careers?

Ongoing childminder retention

The contract requires contact with 100% of childminders in every year. This has always been achieved, ensuring that childminders do not feel isolated and know where to access support. It is evident that this 1-to-1 contact and ‘checking in’ makes a difference.

Childminders are offered support for all manner of things – including ideas to advertise their setting to fill spaces, early years funding support and using the funding portal, safeguarding, training, business support, Holiday, Activities and Food programme referrals and access to grants, including for wraparound childcare.

Additional retention initiatives include:

  • Support for childminders working with SEND children – including their own SEND training, telephone and/or visit support and signposting to SEN services or other professionals.
  • Monthly newsletter sent to all childminders
  • Intervention – intensive support from a dedicated support officer. Contact within 24 hours is made, then a support programme designed around the issues raised by Ofsted or LADO.

Wraparound childcare

Most recently, the Coram PACEY team has been working on behalf of the local authority to support the National Wraparound Childcare Programme.

Cambridgeshire identified the need for increased wraparound provision in the centre of Wisbech and were tasked with finding a childminder who would develop their business to offer wraparound places or increase existing wraparound provision. They identified a childminder who was prepared to take on an assistant and start offering wraparound places for the first time.

The team supported her with taking on an assistant, and she started providing wraparound onsite at the local school at the beginning of September 2025. This model has complimented other wraparound provision in the area – the school also applied for funding to increase their wraparound provision after a panel decided that parental choice was important and there was room and demand for both wraparound settings in the town.

Nannies

Whilst there is no specific requirement within the contract to support nannies at present, the team are instrumental in supporting nannies who require further support following Ofsted inspections.

Feedback from Cambrigeshire local authority

“Our contract with Coram PACEY is more than a contract, it is a partnership that is vital to supporting a balanced childcare market to provide choice and flexibility for parents and carers. Coram PACEY team members are part of our whole service team and this brings us great insight into this unique and very important part of the sector.

We value the relationship with the team and benefit from their specialist knowledge, the work we do together is fully integrated and this has a positive impact on childminders in Cambridgeshire.

This collaboration underpins our priority of inclusion for all children and our ambition that all children can thrive.”

Annette Brooker, Head of Early Years, Childcare and School Readiness Service- Cambridgeshire

Summary

Nationally, childminder numbers are slowly declining. The success in Cambridgeshire is evidence that significant childminder support has a positive impact on childminder numbers and the quality of provision.

In Cambridgeshire, the emphasis placed on the importance of childminders and home-based childcare professionals is integral to the successful delivery of early years provision and funded entitlements. This comes at a cost and requires buy-in, investment and a collaborative approach from those leading the department.

However, we understand many local authorities face continued pressure to deliver the expansion of the entitlement scheme, in challenging circumstances and under financial constraints. Some local authorities no longer have a designated childminding lead. In those circumstances, what can be done?

Coram PACEY is here to support. Whether its advice on your childminder strategy or support with pre-registration and training, we have nearly 50 years’ experience supporting and advocating for childminders. Now we are here to support local authorities too.

Policy

Our policy team is working nationally to support local authorities with guidance, gather and analyse data trends and raise local challenges with Government officials. We are passionate about working with local authorities to highlight and celebrate best practice in childminder and local authority relationships.

Contact our policy team for any policy queries or support you might need: policy@corampacey.org.uk

Coram PACEY Connect services

Coram PACEY Connect is a package of services designed to help local authoritie and other key partners support childcare and early years professionals in their area. Coram PACEY Connect offers support that is flexible, tailored to your local need, available virtually and delivered by early years and childcare experts.

Services include: Pre-registration support, professional development and training, consultancy support and promotion of quality childcare.

Visit our website for more information: www.corampacey.org.uk/get-involved/pacey-connect/ or

Download our brochure

Childminder support contracts

Coram PACEY can deliver childminder support contracts in other parts of England, in the same way as in Cambridgeshire, working for local authorities to recruit and retain a dedicated and passionate workforce in areas of need. We support local authorities to implement a childminding strategy to support the sustainability of childminders in their area for years to come.

If you would like to talk through how we can deliver a similar service to Cambridgeshire or tailor one more suitable to your area, please contact Claire Protheroe, Head of Contracts and Projects: claire.protheroe@corampacey.org.uk

“As a childminder of 25 years, in an ever-evolving role, my love and passion for supporting children in their all-important early years never diminishes. To support, nurture and make a difference - to each child as a unique individual, every family as a unit and the local community. This work could not be achieved without our partnership working with the Coram PACEY team in Cambridgeshire. Their support and training opportunities as well as the hands-on activity days for children are always appreciated. The role the Cambridgeshire team play is key to us as childcare practitioners: being kept updated with legislation and guidance, opportunities to further our career development, provide support to our families and to signpost as needed. This enables us to offer provision where not only the care and education, but also our continuous professional development is of the highest quality.”

Sue Smith, Registered childminder - Cambridgeshire

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