Tamworth High's Breakfast Club is focused on student support and wellbeing

The school's Breakfast Club supplies free breakfast for all students between 8am and 8.45am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with an average 200 students a week from the school's more than 600-strong cohort, participating.

The program is coordinated by the school's Wellbeing Team under the guidance of head teacher wellbeing Steve Lasscock.

"The initiative was implemented to ensure no child misses out on breakfast," Mr Lasscock said.

"We have students who come to school who may have missed breakfast due to early sporting sessions or they did not wake up in time, or don't have the means to have breakfast at home.

"I think a lot of the children just don't wake up in time to have breakfast, so they come to grab breakfast from here."

The Breakfast Club supplies bread, fresh fruit and cereals on Mondays and Fridays, while on Wednesdays it is generally a hot breakfast which may include sausages, eggs or pancakes.

As you approach the food tech room where the breakfasts are held, the sound of upbeat and energetic music can be heard spilling out of the room, as students make their way in.

Mr Lasscock said the school's principal Paul Davis, and deputies Megan Marsahll, Sam Langston and Michelle Radoll attended every Friday breakfast, while the school's "zany" student support officer Sue Warden was a regular fixture "dancing to the music and interacting with the students".

He said a number of staff, assisted by regular students, also helped to run the Breakfast Club.

"This is a great initiative," Mr Lasscock said.

"Our Wellbeing Team is very proud of what we have created here, which is one of the many services we provide to support our students."

The program is supported by Foodbank Australia, which provides about 50 kilograms of non-perishable breakfast supplies twice a term, while the school funds the purchase of weekly perishable supplies, including fruit, eggs, bakery and dairy goods.

Mr Lasscock said the school also provided fresh fruit for students during the day in the school's Wellbeing Hub.

Tamworth High's Breakfast Club has been a staple at the school for many years, however, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic it had been provided by a community organisation.

Ms Warden said the school reintroduced the program late last term, launched with a breakfast to which all staff and students were invited.

"The school has taken over the coordination of the Breakfast Club so our staff now have the opportunity to volunteer their time and support us in this initiative," she said.

Ms Warden said students were encouraged to stay and eat in the room with others, as this "gave them a chance to connect with their peers and the volunteer staff".

"This level of participation is an important wellbeing exercise for the students," she said.

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Mr Lasscock said the school had some welfare issues, and students who did not have access to the right food to start the day, however, participation in the Breakfast Club was helping to ensure these students not only started the day with breakfast but also felt supported throughout the day, and this was resulting positive "changes in behaviour".

While the school is thankful for the donations it receives from Foodbank, Mr Lasscock said it was also reciprocating.

"The school will buy four hampers later this year which we disperse to our most vulnerable families for Christmas, while our families also donate to the Salvation Army's annual Christmas drive," he said.

The local community is also helping to support the school, with the South Tamworth Lions Club recently donating a large fridge and freezer to replace old existing appliances which are being used to store perishable Breakfast Club food on site.

Mr Lasscock said the school was also keen to expand its local community partnerships to potentially include the supply of perishable food products for the Breakfast Club program.

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