RORY BACKS CAMPAIGN TO GET PENRITH AND THE BORDER’S SCHOOLCHILDREN TALKING AND LEARNING ABOUT MONEY

Rory has called for local schools to get their pupils talking and learning about money, as part of a charity’s new campaign to help improve the financial capability of young people.

Every primary and secondary school in Penrith and The Border has been sent Get Money Smart posters and teaching materials by national charity PFEG (Personal Finance Education Group), which wants to get children talking about money in the classroom. The charity’s Get Money Smart posters – for children aged up to seven, 11, 14 and 16 – are designed to encourage classroom discussions about things children can do to learn more about money and personal finance.  Ideas for different ages include checking your change, estimating the cost of a weekly shop, comparing mobile phone tariffs and planning and budgeting for a trip. Schools in Penrith and The Border are being encouraged to hold discussions with their pupils over 4 things the posters suggest they can do to learn about money – with the 5th being left up to each class to decide.  Ideas for the 5th activity can then be shared with other classes across the country on Twitter using the #5thingstodo hashtag.

Rory is throwing his weight behind the initiative as a way of helping young constituents to gain the vital skills and knowledge they will need to manage their personal finances throughout their lives.  The move follows news that after years of campaigning by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Financial Education for Young People, PFEG and MoneySavingExpert.com’s Martin Lewis, that financial education will be taught in secondary schools as part of the National Curriculum from September 2014.

Rory said: “I strongly support any initiative that gives our children the tools to deal with finance, and to manage their finances in a sensible way. Too often, children grow up and leave home knowing very little about the basics of sound financial management: things like making savings in small ways in order to increase capital for bigger purchases, or budgeting ahead of time. I am really delighted to know about PFEG’s work, and indeed wholeheartedly applaud the government’s decision to incorporate financial education into our National Curriculum, which is excellent news.”

Tracey Bleakley, chief executive of PFEG, said: “We are thrilled to have the support of Rory Stewart for this free new scheme for primary and secondary schools in Penrith and The Border.  I hope all local schools will seize the opportunity to use their Get Money Smart posters to bring money to life in the classroom.  This is a crucial topic that every young person should learn.  Getting pupils talking about money and the financial decisions they will face in the future is a great way to start.”

The campaign has been made possible through a personal donation to PFEG from MoneySavingExpert.com’s Martin Lewis, which has enabled the charity to send free copies of theGet Money Smart posters and teaching resources to primary and secondary schools in the Penrith and The Border area and across the country.

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