Pupil Power: West Denton children co-design national school breakfast club recommendations
A groundbreaking report, co-designed and co-produced by the young voices of West Denton Primary School in Newcastle upon Tyne, has been published, offering invaluable insights into the future of school breakfast clubs.
Spearheaded by Professor Greta Defeyter OBE, Dean Social Mobility Policy Engagement, Professor of Developmental Psychology, and Director of the Healthy Living Lab, this exciting initiative employed creative methods to amplify the perspectives of primary school children.
The result? A report that captures their views on their current breakfast club experience and, crucially, provides direct advice to the UK Government regarding the national roll-out of breakfast clubs to all state-funded primary schools in England.
Yet another proud moment for North East education
In true North East spirit, the children were far from shy in sharing their recommendations with key figures! This included the Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer MP, Stephen Morgan MP, and the Department for Education. Their core message resonated with a powerful call for a socially just and inclusive national breakfast club programme.
“Shy bairns, get nowt”, after all.
The report highlights the children’s strong desire not only to have their voices heard but also to see their recommendations acted upon at both national and local levels — something we continuously advocate for act Schools North East.
They passionately insist for active involvement in co-designing policies and programmes that directly affect their lives, which is an extremely valid point.
This inspiring project demonstrates that, through carefully planned, age-appropriate, inclusive, and co-designed methods, young children possess the capacity to meaningfully contribute to policy and practice recommendations.
Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said: “This report stands as a powerful testament to the valuable insights and thoughtful recommendations that young people can offer when given the opportunity to have their voices heard.
“It provides a compelling case for the meaningful inclusion of children in shaping the policies and programmes that impact their lives. Huge congratulations to everyone involved in this remarkable report.”
Ensuring that the views of every participating child are presented
Adding a touch of youthful charm, the children were also keen to inform Larry, the resident cat of No 10 Downing Street, about their important work. This resulted in Larry’s playful appearance on the front page poster of the report, standing proudly outside Number 10.
In a commitment to authenticity and inclusivity, all of the children’s raw outputs have been published in the report. This approach not only ensures that the views of every participating child are presented but also effectively illustrates the success of the innovative methods employed.
Professor Defeyter and her team extend their sincere gratitude to the dedicated staff, supportive parents, and enthusiastic pupils of West Denton Primary School for their invaluable contributions. Appreciation is also extended to colleagues at Northumbria University for their expertise and unwavering support in bringing this impactful research to fruition, highlighting the power of interdisciplinary collaboration across psychology, teaching, and design.
We look forward to continuing to follow this journey and experiencing the significant impact of collective action in the North East.
West Denton Primary School is a Schools North East Partner School. If you’d like to find out more about our Partner School membership, click here.We love to hear good news from North East Schools!
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