BREAKFAST – it is the most important meal of the day and on Friday morning Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was in Redditch to see Woodrow First School’s breakfast club in action.
The Langdon Close school provides breakfast – sponsored by Greggs – for more than 60 pupils every day.
The Labour Party has pledged that if it wins the forthcoming general election, it will roll out breakfast clubs in every school in England.
Ms Phillipson said: “Breakfast clubs provide children with a great start to the day and seeing this today at Woodrow First School just goes to show what can be achieved.
“We want to hear of its struggles and successes, where improvements can be made in education, and of course to see its breakfast club in action.”
The MP for Houghton and Sunderland, who was accompanied by Chris Bloore, Labour’s candidate for the Redditch constituency, spent two hours touring the school.
Together with headteacher Richard Kieran she saw the value of an important start to schooling in Early Years before moving on to discuss with children the value of curiosity and imagination within the curriculum.
After a tour of classrooms she then met with members of the senior management team to discuss the challenges they faced but also the optimism they hold.
Mr Kieran said: “Here at Woodrow we always welcome visitors who wish to come and see us and we were more than happy to show the Shadow Secretary of State our breakfast club and what we do here.”
Woodrow First School has won an international reputation for the quality of its teaching, using a technique known as Mantle of the Expert which, guided by the teacher, challenges children to think for themselves and solutions to problems.
It regularly hosts workshops for teachers from both the UK and overseas who wish to learn of its success.
Rachel Maclean, MP for Redditch, said: “As a proud product of the state school system myself, I know how vital a first-class education is to unlocking the full potential of young people.
“Not only that, but it’s this Government that has selected Arrow Vale High School in Redditch to take part in the School Rebuilding Programme.
“This investment will improve the experience of students in Redditch – helping them to learn, develop, and achieve their full potential.
“And, since 2018, 16 school projects in Redditch and the Villages have benefitted from the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund.”
