Text 1: Before the bell, by Aisha Rahman

An original contemporary memoir extract.

At seven forty-five, the school dining hall smells of toast and orange squash. I used to hurry past it on my way to registration, until my form tutor asked for help at the breakfast club. Now I arrive early on Thursdays and tie on an apron that is always a little too long.

The first morning, I thought the job would be easy. Then three pupils asked for cereal, two wanted toast, and a small boy stood beside the fruit bowl looking as if he might cry. I found him a banana and asked his name. By the end of breakfast, he was telling me about his new trainers.

My jobs are simple: set out bowls, pour milk, wipe tables and make sure nobody leaves hungry. But the room changes as it fills. At first, everyone is quiet. Then chairs scrape, stories begin, and the hall seems to wake up with us. I like the moment when a pupil who came in alone starts talking to someone else.

I have to get up earlier than I want to, and the apron never fits properly. Still, when the bell goes, I sometimes wish we had another ten minutes. The club has made Thursday feel less like an ordinary school day.

Text 2: A good start to the day, by Martin Cole

An original contemporary school newsletter article.

At the breakfast club, the work begins before most pupils arrive. A small team of staff and volunteers moves tables into place, checks the supplies and prepares a simple choice of cereal, toast, fruit and drinks. By the time the first coats appear at the door, the room is ready.

The club serves around thirty pupils each morning. Volunteers keep the queue moving, clear away used bowls and help pupils find a seat. These practical tasks matter, but the room is not simply a place to eat. Some pupils use the quiet start to get organised for lessons; others enjoy having time to talk before the day becomes busy.

I watched one volunteer notice that a pupil had come in without a friend. She invited him to sit with her group. A few minutes later, he was laughing at a story about a football that had landed in a hedge. It was a small moment, but it showed how a welcome can be as important as what is on the table.

The club depends on people arriving early and sharing the jobs. When the last cup is collected, the volunteers stack the chairs and head off to their usual work. There is no ceremony, just a clean room and a better beginning for the pupils who came through the door.

Read both texts before answering the question.