PUPILS preparing for their exams were given food for thought when their primary school was presented with boxes of breakfast cereal.

Manufacturer Kellogg’s donated the cereal to The Grove Primary School, near Consett, which has been used to provide free breakfasts for around 35 children in Years Two and Six who have been sitting their Sats exams over the last week.

The school was one of 200 across the country to be given a donation of breakfasts, after research carried out by the company last year found that one in five children skipped breakfast on the morning of their Sats because of nerves.

Head teacher Elizabeth Hume said: "It’s especially important during Sats week that children start the day with a nutritional breakfast in a safe and supportive environment so they can perform as well as possible in their exams.

"The donated cereal will help our breakfast club open its doors, for free, to all year six students so they aren’t going into their exams hungry and unable to concentrate."

Research carried out for Kellogg’s found that 54 per cent of teachers across the country reported that more of their pupils were hungry during morning lessons than a year ago due to the recession, unemployment and benefit cuts.