Families across Rawmarsh, Wath and Swinton will see the cost of going to school slashed even further from September, as Labour confirms caps on branded uniforms and more free breakfast clubs.
Parents at 1,400 more schools nationwide will save up to £450 through free breakfast clubs from September, when more than 2,700 will be up and running. It means Labour has smashed its target of adding 2,000 schools to the programme this year. Over 680,000 children will attend them after the summer holidays – up from 300,000 today.
In John Healey’s Rawmarsh and Conisbrough constituency, three primary schools have been included in the latest roll out, including St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Rawmarsh, Wath Victoria Primary School and Milton School in Swinton. They join Edlington Victoria Academy, Highfield Farm Primary School in West Melton and Morley Place Academy in Conisbrough.
John at Edlington Victoria’s free breakfast club earlier this year
Best Start free breakfasts clubs are already delivering cumulative savings of nearly £25million to families by serving up over 10 million free breakfasts and five million hours of childcare unlocked. For a family using their club every day that’s worth up to £450 and 95 hours a year, or nearly two working weeks back on the morning juggle. Children arrive more settled, fed and ready to learn from the moment the school day begins.
From September, schools across Rotherham must comply with the new legal limits on the number of branded uniform items they can require. It means parents can buy more of the everyday basics, like trousers and shirts, from any shop or supermarket rather than one pricey supplier.
Taken together, heading back to school under Labour is now set to be almost £1,000 cheaper for many families. A child could benefit from up to £450 a year through a free breakfast club and up to £500 a year through the expansion of free school meals to every household on Universal Credit – on top of cheaper uniform as the new branded-item limit bites.
MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough, John Healey said:
“I’ve been working hard with the Labour government to get Best Start free breakfast clubs into local schools and I’m really pleased to be delivering.
“This expansion secures savings for local families when they need it most and will mean every child, no matter their background, can feel the benefits of a nutritious breakfast before school.
“Alongside welcome action on the cost of school uniform, Labour is cutting the cost of getting children into school so they can get the brilliant education they deserve.”
Today’s announcement builds on the biggest ever expansion of funded childcare, with Labour’s rollout now saving families using their full 30 hours an average of £8,000 a year per child – with more than 548,000 codes validated by parents for the working parent entitlement in spring 2026.