An example of how one school livened up the teaching of personal finance by engaging their pupils in a fund-raising activity. Pupils at Howden Junior School near Goole have been set the challenge of setting up and running a school disco. They have to plan and research everything from the cost of the DJ to the refreshments and ticket prices on the night. The task introduces concepts of financial literacy such as outgoings, income, and profit and loss. To reinforce the learning experience, deputy head Mike Sibley uses the activity as a hook for his lessons about spreadsheets. He finds that being able to relate to a real event engages the children and transforms a normally dull and dry topic into an enjoyable and purposeful lesson. With a drive to make the disco a success, the pupils grasp the importance of budgeting and an element of competition arises as they work out how to make the most money.

Video Series: KS2 PSHE
Release Date 2006