The search for the UK’s best personal finance teachers begins

The hunt for Britain’s best money teachers begins tomorrow – with a total of £25,000 offered to winning schools in the Personal Finance Teacher of the Year awards.

Both primary and secondary schools can participate in the competition, which aims to highlight how young people can learn real money skills, manage finances and discover how to budget in a way that can prepare them for life.

The judges also hope that learning about money will help students gain confidence in math.

Topics that may be covered include budgeting, investments, cash savings, interest rates, and borrowing.

There are separate categories for primary and secondary education for the awards, which are managed by investment platform Interactive Investor.

There is also a Personal Finance Teaching Assistant category and some special second prizes. Teachers can also nominate themselves, but must include a lesson plan and a supporting statement about their application.

Past winners have come from a wide range of schools, including special education schools. Children with special educational needs and disabilities are particularly at risk of being targeted by scammers, according to the charity Young Enterprise.

Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise, says: “Criminals prey on young people with a get-rich-quick incentive. Some children are vulnerable because they don’t have the same understanding of what’s going on around them as others.’

Interactive Investor CEO Richard Wilson says, “In this modern world of buy now, pay later, sophisticated scams and cryptocurrencies, money skills are as essential as ever. We want to recognize the great but often uncelebrated work of teachers.”

To nominate a teacher or teaching assistant, please email Interactive Investor: teacher@ii.co.uk. This must be sent before September 11 and include the name of the teacher, plus the name and address of the school.