Brain food: breakfast with a side of tech

Fivemiletown Primary School & Nursery in Co. Tyrone has received a £1,000 grant from Tesco through its Stronger Starts scheme to launch a new “Toast & Technology” Club, supporting pupils from Primary 1 to Primary 7.

Running every school morning from 8.00am, the club gives children the chance to enjoy a warm, nutritious breakfast before taking part in fun, hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities. The funding has enabled the school to purchase new technology and learning resources that transform early mornings into an engaging and enriching start to the school day.

While tucking into toast, pancakes or cereal, pupils develop new and existing skills through activities such as coding robots, building with Lego and exploring STEM project boxes. The resources encourage early engineering and construction abilities, problem-solving, logical thinking and simple coding, while also promoting investigation, exploration and teamwork.

“Through carefully planned, play-based activities, children are developing key skills such as curiosity, creativity, resilience and critical thinking, which are all vital foundations for future learning,” explained Principal Florence Pryce.

According to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, Fivemiletown is ranked among the most deprived areas in the Province, where low income and reduced opportunities can have a significant impact on children and families. The Toast & Technology Club plays an important role in supporting family routines and wellbeing, ensuring children begin their day settled, nourished and ready to learn.

“The school would like to sincerely thank Tesco Stronger Starts for making this project possible. This funding is already having a meaningful impact on children’s learning experiences and opportunities,” Florence added.

The Stronger Starts scheme, in partnership with the Groundwork charity, aims to support many Northern Ireland community projects and good causes in the coming years, with thousands of pounds to give away.

Claire De Silva, Head of Community at Tesco, said: "We're delighted that we can help schools like the Fivemiletown Primary School & Nursery. Stronger Starts invites our customers to use their blue tokens to vote for local schemes they feel will benefit people of all ages and it's so good to see the impact that the funding makes."

NI shoppers can support their local schools and charities by dropping the Tesco blue token they receive at checkout into the relevant voting box as they leave the store.

For further information on how to make a difference at Tesco stores across NI, please go to https://tescostrongerstarts.org.uk