A FREE breakfast will soon be given to every Clydebank High pupil before the start of each school day.

The high school has joined forces with charity Magic Breakfast to ensure every youngster is fed, focused and ready for the day’s learning.

More than 1,200 pupils will benefit from the initiative, which is open to everyone, regardless of whether they are entitled to free school meals.

And the free breakfast will begin being provided at the start of the new term in August and run for the next two years.

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Breakfasts will be provided before class starts and will include Quaker porridge, Nestle cereals, bagels, and Tropicana unsweetened juice.

The school will support the initiative by be offering additional items, funded from the school’s Pupil Equity Fund, and providing the staff to run it.

Clydebank’s MSP Gil Paterson told the Post: “This is a great initiative, so I am pleased to see it come to Clydebank High School.

“Breakfast is an important meal and pupils perform far better when they’ve had a nutritious meal to start their day, but life can be so hectic these days so it’s not always possible for busy families to fit it in.

“This service will be much appreciated by parents and pupils alike and thanks go out to Magic Breakfast and West Dunbartonshire Council.”

Pupils were delighted to welcome athletes Patrick Kelly and Kieran McDonald from Glasgow Warriors to the school to help launch the service.

The players happily spent time with pupils telling them about their career and encouraging healthy eating amongst pupils.

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Cllr Ian Dickson, vice convener of educational services, said: “We are committed to ensuring all of our pupils realise their potential and starting the day with a healthy breakfast will ensure young people at Clydebank High are ready to learn.

“Eating a healthy breakfast has long been associated with promoting children’s health but research shows a healthy breakfast can also boost their education.”

The charity provide food, that complies with government school food standards and regulations in Scotland, to 30 partner schools across Scotland.

And an independent evaluation of the Magic Breakfast model by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that schools that ran a free of charge, universal breakfast provision before class starts delivered an average of two months’ additional progress for pupils over the course of an academic year.

Alex Cunningham, CEO of Magic Breakfast, said: “We are delighted to be in partnership with Clydebank High School and West Dunbartonshire Council, tackling the issue of classroom hunger together.

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“We know that a hungry child isn’t able to concentrate, but students who have had a healthy breakfast are settled and ready to learn in their morning lessons, able to make the most of their education. We wish the school every success.”

At least 33 per cent of pupils in schools across West Dunbartonshire live in poverty.

Last year, top chef Gary Maclean attended Clydebank High as part of a three week summer programme designed to teach families how to cook healthy meals on a budget.