TISA’s Financial Education Council (FEC) marks International Day of Education by sending over 140 Primary Schools in Greater Manchester free resources to support the delivery[...]

TISA's Financial Education Council (FEC) marks International Day of Education by sending over 140 Primary Schools in Greater Manchester free resources to support the delivery of Financial Education lessons.

January 24, 2025

On this International Day of Education, TISA's Financial Education Council (FEC) has issued a letter to over 140 Primary Schools in Greater Manchester with resources to support them with teaching financial education in the classroom.

We have also written to local MPs and the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who has previously shown his public support on the need for more financial education in schools, both as a life skill and because financial literacy helps bring emotional and mental wellbeing. This, along with the fact that the city council has pledged to make sure that investment in young people is prioritised in 2025, is one of the reasons we've chosen to pilot our schools outreach in Manchester.

The Financial Education Council (FEC) is a sub-committee of The Investing and Saving Alliance (TISA), a not-for-profit organisation that seeks to improve the financial wellbeing of UK consumers. The FEC is made up of a group of cross-industry businesses who seek to make financial education accessible to all and is committed to supporting teachers in delivering high-quality financial education to their students.

With only 1% of primary school teachers thinking that their students have adequate financial skills and 84% of kids and teens wanting more financial education in school, it is clear that schools want to do more to give their pupils an effective financial education. However, appreciating how precious teachers' time is, TISA's FEC wanted to help make the delivery of financial education in your school as easy as possible. The letter outlines the benefits of teaching financial education early as well as providing links to some free resources to help them get started, including free workshops, teaching re-sources and an e-book.

Today's outreach follows a recent Open Letter from TISA to the Prime Minister, urging to make financial education compulsory in all schools in the UK. A campaign which has attracted over 60 signatories and backed by leading cross-industry businesses, including GoHenry, Foresters, L&G Schroders, NatWest Cushon, Rathbones and Bank of Ireland.

Carol Knight, CEO at TISA said: "We want to see every child receive an effective education and it is vital that this education starts early. The TISA letters to the Manchester schools recognise the incredible job teachers are doing day in day and provides them with the support, tools and resources to deliver financial education to their pupils.

We've also written to the Mayor of Greater Manchester and local MPs to highlight the importance of financial education - it could inject an extra £7 billion into the UK economy each year. To foster a more productive economy and promote the financial and mental wellbeing of our society, it is imperative that financial education be made compulsory in all schools in England, starting from primary school."

Louise Hill, Co-founder & CEO of GoHenry, said: "Our research shows that 84% of kids and teens want more financial education in schools. Kids want to learn and what better place is there to start than that? As we continue our push alongside others in the industry to make financial education compulsory in all schools from primary age, we're delighted to support TISA's Manchester pilot. We're acutely aware of how time-poor and stretched schools already are, so we hope that the parenting adage 'it takes a village' rings true here and that TISA's pilot helps signpost schools in the area to existing materials that will bring to life vital money lessons in their classrooms."

We are committed to improving financial education in schools and are here to assist any schools in any way we can. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Sophie Legrand-Green, Policy Executive and Chair of TISA's FEC at [email protected].

Useful links

Financial Education Council - TISA

Leading businesses urge Keir Starmer to make financial education compulsory in all schools as part of Curriculum Review - TISA

TISA FEC Letter to PM on Financial Education - TISA