One in Three Teachers See Hungry Children Every Single Day

Shocking new research reveals that children are arriving at school so hungry they cannot concentrate, complain of stomach aches, ask when lunch will be served, and in some cases eat other pupils' food.

New findings from Affinity Workforce, carried out in November 2025, show that almost one in three teachers see hungry children every single day at the start of the school day.

The research exposes a classroom crisis affecting thousands of pupils. Teachers report that in some schools up to half of children arrive without having eaten breakfast.

The findings come as the government announced last week the national rollout of free breakfast clubs to half a million children, a policy Affinity Workforce fully supports, and demonstrates the urgent need for intervention, as seen through the eyes of supply teachers working across hundreds of schools.

Affinity’s research found that six in ten teachers (59 per cent) say hunger significantly affects pupils' ability to learn in morning lessons. While seven in ten (70 per cent) say it affects classroom behaviour.

As one teacher explained: "When children are hungry it is all they can think about. They cannot focus on their work and instead just watch the clock waiting for lunch."

Almost half of teachers say the problem has grown over their career. Forty five per cent say they now see more hungry children than when they first started teaching.

In the shorter term, almost one in five teachers (19 per cent) say the situation has worsened over the past 12 months. The research, conducted as part of Affinity's Before The Bell campaign, surveyed supply teachers working across primary and secondary schools in England, providing a wide view across a range of communities and classrooms.

The findings echo government data. The Family Resources Survey 2023-2024 found that 10 per cent of UK households are food insecure, with households with children twice as likely to be affected. The survey also reported that 90 per cent of households with very low food security did not use a food bank in the past month, highlighting significant unmet need.

In areas of high deprivation, the problem is particularly severe. Teachers working in the most disadvantaged communities report that between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of pupils arrive hungry. One teacher in Lincolnshire, working in a community within the top 1 per cent most deprived areas nationally, described children arriving "having had little or no breakfast, which directly affects their concentration, energy levels and readiness to engage."

More than a third of schools (35 per cent) have no breakfast provision. Where breakfast clubs do exist, three in ten teachers (30 per cent) say the provision is insufficient to meet demand.

The biggest barrier preventing children from accessing breakfast is cost. Teachers identified paid breakfast clubs as the primary obstacle, alongside children arriving too late, lack of parental awareness and, in some cases, stigma associated with using breakfast provision. As one teacher said: "Some people cannot afford to provide breakfast and each class should have something to offer."

Teachers are overwhelmingly clear on the solution. Nine in ten (90 per cent) believe providing free breakfast for all pupils would significantly or moderately improve academic performance. An even higher proportion (96 per cent) believe it would improve behaviour and wellbeing. Nearly nine in ten teachers (88 per cent) who have observed pupils before and after eating breakfast reported a positive difference in performance or behaviour.

"It is clearly evident that pupils are more settled and ready to learn when they have had breakfast," one teacher stated.

Esme Bianchi-Barry, CEO of Affinity Workforce, said: "Our supply teachers work across hundreds of schools every week. They see what is really happening in classrooms. These findings should shock us all into action. We cannot expect children to learn when they are hungry. We cannot expect teachers to teach classes where a third of pupils have not eaten.

“This is a crisis hiding in plain sight in schools across England. That is why we have launched Before The Bell. We are not waiting for someone else to act. Starting in January, we will be providing free breakfasts to pupils at four primary schools for a full week. It is a start, but these findings show we need systemic change. No child should be too hungry to learn," she added.

Affinity Workforce has launched Before The Bell, a campaign to tackle child hunger in schools. The company is funding free breakfast provision at four primary schools across England in January 2026. Winning schools will be announced on 25 November. For more information visit this link.

ENDS

Contact Claire Fry
claire@clivereeves.com
07977414476