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...
