Primary programme
Financial education for younger learners
With government plans to further integrate financial literacy skills into the KS2 primary citizenship curriculum from 2028 as part of their financial inclusion strategy, we're excited to launch a new KS2 primary programme in 2025-7, delivered in partnership with schools in Darlington and Bath and North East Somerset and generously funded by Darlington Building Society and Bath Building Society.
Developed specifically for younger learners in year 5 and year 6, there are four fun workshops, full of hands-on activities and practical tasks to build children's financial understanding and employability skills.
We focus on:
- budgeting and saving
- what happens financially in the future (introduction to debit and credit cards, credit scores and loans)
- employability skills (teamworking and making a great first impression)
- resilience, overcoming obstacles and growth mindset
The key stage 2 sessions are closely aligned to the current primary citizenship curriculum, but also help to build core numeracy, literacy and oracy skills, along with some Art and Design and technology activities such as designing a bin bag costume to develop teamworking skills. By building their financial literacy and employability skills, we are empowering empowering children – regardless of their background – to make confident and informed decisions about money later in life.
We also anticipate the all-important transition to secondary school, working with children to consider how to make a great first impression. This is also a key employability skill and essential when taking that important next step to key stage 3.
Designed by literacy specialist and experienced teacher Katharine Matthews, Head of our North East Programme, feedback from our partner schools for the pilot programme has been excellent.
Why financial education matters
According to a leading think tank, The Social Market Foundation, just 1% of primary teachers currently believe their pupils have adequate financial literacy. Worse still, 81% cite lack of time as the biggest barrier to teaching it effectively. A University of Cambridge study (2013) found that children's attitudes towards money develop as early as age seven, so we believe that starting early with financial literacy is essential.
Sources: University of Cambridge: Habit Formation and Learning in Young Children and Social Market Foundation
How we can support your school
We support partner schools by sharing our expertise in financial education and delivering a programme that builds foundational knowledge and children's confidence in talking about money.
Get in touch so we can work together in your primary school and build a programme that fits your children's needs or read our partner school's testimonials on our programmes.
It’s so important that children understand money, especially in the current economic climate...
Headteacher Janet Donald, Kalder Academy
... the children really enjoyed the activities, learning about money and savings. I was impressed when the children were able to discuss interest in regard to savings!
Humanities and Language Lead, Oldfield Juniors School