The most important meal of the day is breakfast, according to the experts, and one Bradford school is setting up a service to give their pupils the best possible start to the school day. Education Reporter Lyn Barton looks at what's cooking in the kitchen.

BREAKFAST IS served at Belle Vue Girls School - which will see pupils on both sides of the serving hatch.

Today saw the launch of the new service, and the canteen will be open from 7.45am to serve up a range of tasty treats to start the day.

And in an innovative move, sixth-formers have been given the chance to earn some extra money, gain vital work experience and, in some cases, qualifications.

"The main aim is to get the girls into school and eating some breakfast so that they can do their best during the day," said Jan Lee, senior teacher at the school.

"But that having been said it has some other major benefits as well."

A six-strong group of sixth-formers will be working in the canteen serving up the breakfast menu to the younger girls.

They earn the going rate of £4.10 an hour, but they only put in half and hour a day, points out Jan.

"The girls learn social skills, working skills, life skills in general and it is something they can put on their application for university.

"For some it will go towards a GNVQ award," she added.

The girls are very enthusiastic, especially as a TV will be on hand for them to catch up with their favourite early morning breakfast show.

Eventually, the school hopes to have a computer in the canteen for the girls to surf the net while munching on their cornflakes.

Many have commented that they are looking forward to meeting their friends over breakfast and chatting about home and school over the table.

The new service came about following a survey carried out by the School Committee on Food, otherwise known as SCOF, whose student members took the idea from conception to fruition.

Alan Hall, headteacher, says he is delighted with the service. "Research has shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially with regards to making young people better prepared for the school day."

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