• Find out about pfeg's new Learning Money Matters initiative
• View FSA press release
• View examples of how teachers deliver financial capability in the classroom
• Teach more personal finance, schools urged - read the full article published in the Guardian on Tuesday 28 March 2006

27 November 2005 - Mail on Sunday - My toy costs more than a house
It's the perennial parenting dilemma - how do you teach your children that money doesn't grow on trees? Writer and mother Clare Hall describes the battle to encourage financial awareness in youngsters, and gives parents and grandparents some handy hints on how they can pass on the money message.

2 November 2005 - Daily Mail - Money Savers - Financial class of 2005
Should financial education in schools become part of the national curriculum to prepare youngsters for borrowing, saving and investing through their lives? Charlotte Buegge examines the arguments.

17 October 2005 - pfeg Press Release - pfeg calls for additional funding to achieve a step change in financial capability by teaching money matters in all uk schools
Parents say children should be taught money matters from the age of 5 – To view full press release, click here.
To view some examples of pfeg’s work in schools, click here: Primary (Curzon School, Amersham), Secondary - Mathematics (Balderstone Technology School, Rochdale), Secondary - Enterprise (Smithills School, Bolton).
Teaching money matters in schools is a sound investment – Ron Sandler, chairman of pfeg, explains.

11 September 2005 - The Independent on Sunday - Hands up if you know an ISA from a Bunsen burner
Esther Shaw asks if Britain can avoid making a drama out of a crisis by teaching finance in schools.

31 August 2005 - Daily Mail - ISA will give you wings
Around 700,000 youngsters are embarking on their final year at school, but while they should emerge having benefited from a well-rounded education, most will not have received any worthwhile tuition on handling their money.

July 2005 - Becta ICT Advice - Using web based resources in Business and Economics
www.pfeg.org has been featured in this new booklet prooduced by Becta (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency). The published booklet describes what pfeg is and how the online resources on pfeg.org can be used to teach personal finance, demonstrated by a real classroom example.

7 June 2005 - Teletext - Channel 4 - Page 532
Efforts are underway to help children understand money management from an early age. They may have experienced numbers in maths at schools but most need a better understanding of the financial costs of living, and how to budget. Charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) is running pilot schemes at UK schools to encourage money issues into all subjects and not just maths.

June 2005 - pfeg Summer Newsletter
Our summer newsletter gives you information on new resources, as well as articles on financial capablity in Wales, England and Scotland. You can also read about pfeg's ongoing activities.

June 2005 - pfeg teaching money matters brochure
See our new brochure here - it gives an overview to teachers of the services we offer.

14 May 2005 - Future traders in the making
Finance can be fun. So why are we failing to teach it properly? Wendy van den Hende, chief executive of pfeg, says: “It is perfectly possible for someone to go through school without getting any personal finance education at all, which is horrendous when you think about the decisions they will have to make as school leavers.”

March 2005 - pfeg Spring Newsletter
Read about our latest activities and Quality Mark resources in the Spring 2005 newsletter

07 January 2005 - TES Teacher - Cash in on a lesson that's on the money
The organisation pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) ran a four-year excellence and access programme in more than 300 schools aimed at improving personal finance education. But there was a problem; while they were well geared to parts of the citizenship and PSHE curriculum, they did little to set the pulses racing among maths teachers. To remedy this, five schools have been piloting a new set of Year 8 materials for pfeg.

21 November 2004 - The Observer Cash - Lead by example to win the pocket battle
Barbara Oaff explains how to get your children into good pocket money habits.

20 November 2004 - The Times - Learn your lesson now...or else
Education, education, education — and at every age — is viewed as the solution to the falling level of long-term savings and the British weakness for the worst financial deals.

20 November 2004 - The Times - Schools lead fight to teach saving graces
Grainne Gilmore and Guy Haydon find that teachers are tackling financial illiteracy problems, but that the campaign is fettered by disorganisation, a lack of funding and children’s love of free gifts. Please note that pfeg works with 300 secondary schools.

16 October 2004 - Financial Times - Low marks for finance teaching in the classroom
The pensions system is collapsing, house prices are stratospheric but may crash and banks are pushing almost unlimited credit at everyone in sight. Just surviving in this climate requires a lot of financial nous. But, says, Wendy van den Hende, most of us start adult life unprepared to cope.

2 November 2004 - The Journal - Classes on finance - it all adds up
Personal finance could soon be on the national curriculum for 14 to 19-year-olds. Jane Hall looks at why getting young people interested in money matters.

October 2004 - pfeg Annual Report 2004
Please click here to view pfeg's Annual Report 2004

October 2004 - pfeg Autumn Newsletter
Please click here to view pfeg's Autumn newsletter which has news about new projects, developments and resources. Click here to add your details to our database in order to receive these termly updates.

3 September 2004 - Financial Times - Why are so many people so bad at managing their finances?
A survey this week by Interactive Investor found that, although we are unwilling to spend time sorting out our finances, that doesn't stop us worrying about them. Pfeg, a government- and industry-funded charity, is trying to integrate personal finance teaching into subjects like French and Maths for example helping children to understand exchange and interest rates by producing case studies that teachers can use in class.

August 2004 - launch of www.stats4schools.gov.uk
With a new school term approaching, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is launching stats4schools, a website to support the teaching of statistics across the National Curriculum. It provides teachers and pupils with a free on-line resource offering up-to-date statistics linked to lesson plans and worksheets that deal with interesting themes that relate to pupils at Key Stage 3-4.

25 February 2004 - Maths for Citizens - pfeg response to Professor Adrian Smith's inquiry into Post-14 Mathematics Education
"pfeg is already working with the government to integrate personal finance education within the teaching of maths through a project funded by the DfES. As a pilot scheme, it will run within five UK schools and will provide a framework to potentially roll-out amongst all schools." Wendy van den Hende - Chief Executive

3 March 2004 - North West Seminar, Bolton - Press release
As MP to Bolton West, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and a major player in the development of a national strategy for financial education, Ruth Kelly said in support: " The work pfeg has undertaken in schools in the North-West has given children a much better chance of making sound financial decisions later in life. The seminar is an opportunity for people to learn more about the work of pfeg and the wider efforts by Government, industry and the voluntary sector to raise financial capability. The Government will be working closely with pfeg in the future, particularly to assess if any further support is needed to ensure that children engage fully with their Child Trust Funds."

24 January 2004 - "The magics of money facinates children" - William Kay reports in The Independent
As adults are all too well aware, having been there ourselves, children soon discover that the magic of money comes with many strings attached, and not a few pitfalls. That is why financial education is so important - behind, I suggest, only the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. But it is crucial for children and young adults to learn the whole story as they become old enough to understand its varied nuances. This isn't about becoming a financial anorak: it's about surviving in the money jungle. If your children think that "jungle" plus "magic" conjures images of witch doctors, they have already learned a valuable lesson.

January 2004 - Financial Capability - Ron Sandler Interview
Sandler explains why Excellence and Access has been a success, what the strategy is going forward and why teachers, the government and the City should embrace it. To view an interview with Ron Sandler on Asset TV website, please follow the above link.

20 January 2004 - Financial Capability - The Way Ahead, London
At an event hosted at Lloyd's of London today, pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) will show how Excellence and Access, its four year project aimed at raising the quality and quantity of personal finance education in schools, has made a significant impact. On behalf of the Department for Education and Skills, Stephen Twigg, Minister for London Schools, will deliver a keynote speech on financial capability in the classroom. Through Excellence & Access, 150,000 children have experienced personal finance education with 1,000 teachers participating in 300 secondary schools across 30% of LEAs in England. photos.

10 August 2003 - Smart ways with cash should start at school
There is no obligation to give lessons in personal finance at school, but growing numbers of teachers are adding it to classes in the personal, social and health education and citizenship sections of the curriculum, as well as to more traditional areas such as maths, science and geography. 'The levels of adult financial literacy are low in Britain,' says Wendy van den Hende, Chief Executive of the Personal Finance Education Group. 'Given that children pick up much of their information from parents, it makes sense to teach it in schools.' Sally Hamilton reports in the Financial Mail on Sunday.

31 July 2003 - The Money Programme
Today's youngsters face lives of terrifying financial complexity. They will have to manage student loans, dodge consumer fraud, switch jobs, hack their way through a jungle of competing financial services, and amass their own pension. Most British children are financially illiterate and know little about mortgages, pensions, credit cards and debt. But this is about to change. Hilary Wilce reports in The Independent on new moves in schools to prepare the young for the real world.

11 July 2003 - Pupils learn to count the cost
It is basic economics: the demands for lessons on money management by school pupils outweigh the supply of courses available. Recent studies show 98% of teenagers consider it valuable for the future to learn about managing their money and 89% would like to do so at school. With schools fighting budget cuts, teachers say they are up against their own supply and demand dilemma. Many pupils want money management training but there are only a few teachers equipped to teach them. In order to help pupils satisfy their craving for financial knowledge, financial institutions have taken their skills to schools across the country. Shola Adenekan reports in BBC News Online.

July 2003 - Education Allowance Scheme - Going National Soon
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) will be available across England from September 2004 to eligible young people on further education (FE) courses in school sixth forms, sixth form colleges and FE colleges. EMA is a weekly payment of up to £30, paid directly to young people who stay on in FE after they reach statutory leaving age. Material will be available to help schools, colleges and the Connexions Service give messages about EMA to young people through careers education lessons from Year 9, open evenings, careers conventions, career planning events and through the liaison work of the Connexions Service. For further information contact the EMA Unit, DfES on telephone 0114 259 1212 or go to www.dfes.gov.uk

10 March 2003 - Ron Sandler is appointed as pfeg new Chairman
We are pleased to announce today that Ron Sandler is to become Chairman of pfeg. He succeeds Daniel Godfrey who retires after four years as Chairman. Ruth Kelly, Financial Secretary to the Treasury said: "I am very pleased to have this opportunity to congratulate Ron Sandler, who is succeeding Daniel Godfrey as Chairman of the Personal Finance Education Group. Daniel has made a big contribution to establishing pfeg as a really positive force in the financial education community, and I am sure Ron will build on that success." To view the full press release please click here.
For further information, please contact by e-mail Vola Parker or by phone on 020 7330 9470.

Spring 2003 - pfeg spring newsletter
Snapshots on pfeg's activities including on Excellence and Access - one year on; new Quality Mark resources, The Red Box and cultural diversity; Order a copy from Brenda Swift 020 7330 9470 for a copy of our latest newsletter.

December 2002 -The Red Box Pack - primarily for teaching citizenship-related subjects
Treasury chief secretary Paul Boateng, who launched the initiative this week aided by a group of enthusiastic 10 and 11-year-old pupils from a North London school, said: "This is an excellent, informative and entertaining package which will help young people understand the choices that we are required to make in order to provide schools, hospitals, roads and other public services." Jill Papworth reports in The Guardian Money. view full article

11 November 2002 - BBC News Online sits in on a lesson to discover how today's consumer conscious children react to lessons in the facts of financial life.
"They are very interested in money and how managing it gives them something extra," teacher Elaine Pinkus told BBC News Online reporter Julian Knight. It seems student fascination does not begin and end with money matters. The realm of work was also a preoccupation. "Students are switched on to their rights".

7 November 2002 - Will Paxton from IPPR reports in Money Marketing
"If we want the industry to be trusted, if we want more people to realise the need to save and if we are serious about tackling financial exclusion, we must welcome the appearance of financial education in the curriculum. However, it is only a start and further progress is undoubtedly required if its full potential is to be harnessed.". To view full article, please register and do a text search for "school for thought"

pfeg Annual Review 2001-2002
Our annual review can viewed online and downloaded by clicking at the title above, or you can request a copy to be sent to you. Please contact Brenda Swift for a copy .

pfeg Newsletter Autum 2002
Autumn 2002 has seen the official introduction of citizenship as a statutory part of the curriculum in English secondary schools. At pfeg we welcome this but would like to stress the need to remember that citizenship isn't just about democracy. If we want to help prepare today's students to be active participants in society it is vital that they have the skills to become financially literate citizens. About 80% of the schools taking part in pfeg's Excellence and Access project are doing so through citizenship. The interim evaluation report from Brunel University tells us that both teachers and pupils are finding the lessons interesting and fun.

06 September 2002 - Young, gifted and in the black, teens defy conventional wisdom
Frank O'Donnell reports in The Scotsman on the findings of a survey by Abbey National Youth Banking that in complete contrast to their carefree image, thousands of young people keep a constant check on their bank balance, scrutinise their statements and organise and budget their finances. Vola Parker, of the Personal Finance Education Group, agreed that today's generation of teenagers were more financially aware but said greater emphasis could still be made of the issue in schools.

04 September 2002 - Lesson in Money for School Children
Ms Garside - headteacher of St Ambrose Barlow RC school in Salford- was interviewed for BBC News Online, and said: "It's all about putting the world into context for the pupil. Studying personal finance helps them with their mathematics and builds confidence." St Ambrose Barlow RC school is one of the schools taking part in pfeg's Excellence and Access project on personal finance education.

05 September 2002 - Teens in Debt - Financial Mail on Sunday
Rent, overspending on credit cards and the high cost of day-to-day living can leave youngsters who lack basic money management skills with spiralling debts. Gaynor Pengelly interviewed pfeg.

16 September 2002 - New online resources from the DfES for PSHE teachers
pfeg is proud to be one of the teaching resources provider listed in the new PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) website area on TeacherNet which will be available for viewing from the 16 September 2002. It is a dedicated learning and development resource for teachers of PSHE and Citizenship . Whether you are an experienced PSHE teacher or about to face your first PSHE lesson, this is the site for you. This exciting resource contains a flexible, interactive tool to help identify your development needs; a signpost to 'learning pathways' offering a wide range of learning options; a database of resources; and the opportunity to share ideas, seek advice and contribute your own good practice through the bulletin board. You can view the website by clicking on the underlined link above.

03 September 2002 - Cool site educates young consumers - from the Welsh Consumer Council
Young people all over the UK are starting to learn how to become informed and responsible consumers, aware of their rights and aware of how their actions affect other people across the globe. The new curriculum subjects of 'citizenship' in England and 'personal and social education' in Wales aim to teach children about the impact of consumer choices locally, nationally and internationally. Young people can now find out everything they need to know about their rights and responsibilities as consumers by visiting the consumer education website which is launched today by the Welsh Consumer Council provides a wealth of information to support and build the confidence of young consumers learning how to live in a complex and independent world.

July 2002
As an independent charity set up to help teachers develop financial capability in young people,pfeg welcomes the call from the Sandler Review for increased resources to be put into education.

June 2002
Tunbridge Wells Equitable Society has joined pfeg's board of trustees. David White, Chief Executive said: "The Society recognises the importance of supporting organisations like pfeg and we are keen to assist in educating children on personal finance matters."

April 2002 - pfeg summer 2002 newsletter
Schools in Scotland now have their own Centre for Financial Education. pfeg has already established links with the Centre with Jim Lally, the Director, being a member of our advisory group. There are specific pages on this site where resources are matched against the Scottish curriculum. Plans are in hand to make the same connections with the revised Northern Ireland curriculum.

November 2001
pfeg first annual review is now published. "A lack of personal finance skills can mean that money is wasted which in turn can lead to debt." Click here to request a copy.

26 November 2001
On the Excellence and Access four-year project, Jane Mack writes in Motley Fool "I really wish this sort of thing had been around when I was at school- I might not have spent so much time staring out of the window as my teacher droned on and on in all those boring maths lessons."

26 November 2001
Reading, writing and....reduction in yield: The Interactive Investor website quotes Howard Davies' speech on the role of the industry in supporting personal finance education.

26 November 2001
Howard Davies, Chairman, Financial Services Authority (FSA) said: "The FSA fully supports this project and shares the same vision of ensuring young people leave school with an understanding of the financial system. I am delighted that pfeg's project is being supported by the financial sector and would particularly like to thank the funders - the Association of Investment Trust Companies, Barclays, HSBC and Prudential." Full press release.

16 September 2001
Wendy van den Hende introduces the Excellence and Access, a four-year project run by pfeg to encourage personal finance lessons in the classroom. Sally Hamilton reports in the Mail on Sunday The wealth of knowledge on new school timetables.

March 2001
We are pleased to report that we have secured funding for Excellence and Access - an innovative project to ensure personal finance teaching is taking place in UK schools. pfeg wishes to thank DfES, AITC, Barclays and Prudential for enabling the project to take off.

January 2001
Anne McHardy's article in the Guardian Education, which contains statistics about financial literacy in the UK, and pfeg's plan for developping financial capability.

6 November 2000
Quality Mark for personal finance education resources was launched at FSA. We are currently reviewing all the resources on the website. pfeg code of practice gives practical guidance to those developing resources, and the award of the Quality Mark is aimed to reassure teachers that resources are of high educational quality.

30 September 2000
Susan Emmett reports on personal finance education, Money Counts and pfeg  in "Financial lessons to save children from learning the hard way." Times. 

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