WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY.... WHY FINANCIAL LITERACY IS NOW
A STUDENT WELLBEING ISSUE Comment by MARIA DUCKER, Headteacher at Hall Mead School and Ambassador for Intuit for Education.
W
hen we talk about student wellbeing, we often think about mental health, relationships, behaviour, attendance and safety. We do not always think about money. Yet for many young people, money will become one of the biggest sources of pressure, stress and vulnerability as they move into adult life. That is why I believe financial literacy should no longer be seen simply as a curriculum issue, but a student wellbeing issue
too.Young people may leave school with strong maths skills, but that does not mean they feel prepared to manage real world financial decisions. Understanding percentages, equations or graphs is important, but it is not the same as knowing how to read a payslip, manage a budget, understand tax, compare savings options, avoid debt or recognise financial risk. Some decisions come sooner than we sometimes acknowledge. For many, universities bring student loans, bursaries, accommodation costs and living expenses. Others move into apprenticeships, part-time work or full-time employment, where they are expected to understand wages, deductions, pensions and bills almost overnight.
I see students who are digitally confident, socially aware and full of ambition. They can navigate technology, communicate quickly and understand the world around them in ways that previous generations did not. Yet many still lack the necessary financial language, confidence or experience to ask basic but important questions about money. That matters, particularly for students who come from households where financial matters are not openly discussed. In some families, money is a source of anxiety or shame. In others, parents and carers are working incredibly hard to do the same with less, especially in the context of ongoing cost of living pressures. It is not always easy to talk about budgeting, debt or financial worries when families are living through those pressures themselves.
This is why schools have such an important role to play. Financial education can help remove some of that silence. It can give young people the words, knowledge and confidence to ask questions before they reach crisis point.
At the moment, one of the biggest gaps is the difference between knowing definitions and knowing how to apply them. Students may learn what interest is, or what debt means, but do they understand how a buy- now-pay-later agreement works in practice? Do they know what happens
if they miss a payment? Do they understand what a credit score is? We also need to recognise that
the financial world young people are growing up in is very different from the one many older adults experience. Today, online spending is instant. Digital banking makes money feel less visible. Gaming can include gambling-style mechanics and social media can make wealth appear effortless, with influencers presenting fast lifestyles, and luxury holidays as if they are normal or easily achievable.
That can create pressure and unrealistic expectations. It can also make young people more vulnerable to scams, poor financial choices or the belief that there is a quick route to financial success.
For me, financial literacy is about much more than money management. It is about security, and as a headteacher I know financial security is closely linked to confidence, independence and wellbeing.If a young person understands how to manage money, they are more likely to feel in control of their choices. They are less likely to be exploited, less likely to fall into avoidable debt, and better equipped to make informed decisions about work, education, housing and relationships. That sense of control matters enormously for mental wellbeing.
I also feel strongly about financial independence for girls and young women. I want all my students to have financial freedom, but as a female, I particularly want my female students to understand that money knowledge gives them choice. For some, especially if they come from households where women have not always had financial independence, this can be life-changing.
The earlier we start, the better. Financial habits and attitudes begin forming much earlier than we sometimes think. By the time students are making major decisions at 16, 17 or 18, they may already have absorbed views about money, spending, debt and self-worth. Schools can help shape those attitudes in a positive and practical way.
This is where practical support for schools matters. Programmes such as the Intuit for Education programme can be useful because they help bring financial concepts into real-world contexts, rather than leaving them as abstract classroom ideas. The point is not that one programme can solve the issue on its own, but that schools need access to resources that make money education relevant, engaging and easier to apply. Making learning engaging is important. Doing through learning helps it stick. When students can see how knowledge applies to their own lives, they are much more likely to remember it and use it.
We should also make the link between financial literacy, financial freedom and wellbeing much more explicit. Money worries can affect confidence, relationships, mental health and future opportunities. Giving students the tools to manage money responsibly is one way we can help reduce that risk.
The Intuit for Education programme is one example of the kind of practical approach that can help schools connect financial education to students’ lives. But this must sit within a much bigger shift in how we view money education. It should not be a bolt-on, a one-off session or something squeezed in when there is space. It should be part of how we prepare young people for adulthood.
Financial literacy will not solve every challenge young people face. But it can give them confidence, independence and protection. It can help them make better choices, avoid unnecessary stress and understand that asking questions about money is not something to be ashamed of. We need to stop treating financial education as a nice-to-have. It is a core life skill, and it belongs at the heart of how we prepare young people for adulthood.
30
www.education-today.co.uk July/August 2026
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
