A Wesham School has been recognised for its efforts in educating children about debt and money management
Medlar with Wesham Church of England Primary School has recently become one of only six primary schools to gain Accredited Centre status for the DebtAware Money Management Programme.
The school implemented the programme as they were very keen to develop a more hands-on approach to maths, with the programme allowing the children to apply their mathematical knowledge in ‘true to life’ situations.
DebtAware education manager Brian Souter said:
“Following the financial crisis, it became apparent just how important financial capability is. Money management is such a fundamental skill and we believe that teaching children this at a young age will help them to form good financial habits for life.
“The lessons in the school have been very successful and the school certainly values the importance of equipping their children with the knowledge, understanding and skills to develop a sensible and sound attitude towards money management, which is why they deserve this accreditation.”
Money Mentor Poppy, aged 11, said;
“I love teaching the lessons. You get to be the teacher and then you can help people if they don’t understand. I used to be a bit nervous when I had to speak in front of the class but this has made me more confident.”
The successful education programme will soon be celebrating its third anniversary with almost 7,000 children enrolled from 108 schools across England and Scotland.
Medlar with Wesham Primary School head teacher, Mrs Astbury, said:
“The excellent resources that have been developed by High School children for use in our school have had a real impact on learning. Our pupils relate to this material – the booklets with true to life stories and the video clips – because they see young adults, like themselves, talking about some very grown up issues in a way that they understand.
“The DebtAware programme has allowed my school to add another level of readiness for the adventures which now await our pupils in Year 7 and beyond. It is now our hope that the children who leave our care are confident, well rounded and happy individuals, who have a sound working knowledge of importance of money in their lives.”