At Park Road Academy, financial literacy is a carefully planned and integral part of our curriculum, designed to equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to manage money effectively in later life. Our approach goes beyond basic understanding, ensuring that all pupils, over time, develop secure, real-life financial skills and a strong sense of responsibility, preparing them for the demands of modern society.

Financial education is embedded progressively across the school, beginning with early mathematical understanding and building towards more complex financial concepts. Through our use of the White Rose Maths scheme, pupils develop a secure foundation in money, including recognising value, calculating costs, budgeting and solving real-life problems. This ensures that financial knowledge is not taught in isolation but is coherently sequenced within the wider mathematics curriculum.

Our provision is further strengthened through meaningful, real-world experiences that allow pupils to apply their learning in authentic contexts. Our school bank, led by Year 6 pupils, provides children with the opportunity to open and manage their own savings accounts. Older pupils take on defined roles such as bank manager, developing leadership, accountability and organisational skills. As a result, pupils gain a practical understanding of saving and financial responsibility, while also developing confidence in handling money.

In addition, our pupil-led snack shop offers hands-on experience of enterprise. Children are involved in understanding stock costs, pricing, sales and profit, while younger pupils engage as customers—making purchases, calculating totals and working out change. These experiences ensure that pupils apply mathematical knowledge in purposeful ways, leading to strong retention and deeper understanding over time.

We also work in partnership with DebtAware, who deliver a comprehensive financial education programme for our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. This programme supports children in understanding key concepts such as budgeting, debt, saving and financial decision-making. As a result, pupils develop an age-appropriate awareness of financial risks and responsibilities, preparing them well for future life.

Our financial literacy offer is inclusive and ensures that all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds, can access and benefit from these opportunities through carefully adapted support and practical experiences. Over time, pupils demonstrate increasing confidence in managing money, making informed choices and understanding the value of financial responsibility.

Through this coherent and ambitious approach, pupils leave Park Road Academy with not only secure mathematical understanding, but also the essential life skills, resilience and independence required to become financially responsible individuals.