As school students return to school, the Personal Finance Society has restarted its ‘My Personal Finance Skills’ programme which saw 18,000 students learn money skills over the past academic year.

The PFS says the programme - aimed at 11-18 years old - will restart this month with PFS volunteers once again supporting the campaign.

My Personal Finance Skills provides free financial education to schools to help students understand money better. 

In the last academic year 2020/2021, 630 sessions were provided to students through the programme (584 remote, 46 in-person at schools). 

The sessions are estimated to have reached over 18,000 students. 

The programme will continue with a hybrid model of delivery using remote and in-person methods. 

However, the PFS says that where possible it hopes to deliver lessons face to face, in school as this provides the “greatest interaction” between pupils and volunteers. 

The professional body with 40,000 members believes the pandemic has meant students have an increasing need to understand more about money. 

Students taking part learn about debt, saving and credit as well as avoiding financial scams. 

The PFS says the feedback from teachers and ‘education champions’ - PFS volunteers who provide the lessons - has been very positive.

Hannah Robinson, a PFS education champion, said: “There was nothing like this available to me when I was at school, and I wish there had been, and I think the school syllabus is really missing out on 'real life' teachings, so I volunteered as I would have wanted someone to volunteer for me.” 

Sarah Lord, President of the personal finance society, said: “We are really pleased and excited for the Personal Finance Skills sessions to return to schools this Autumn. Following the pandemic, now is a more crucial time than ever to help prepare children for their financial futures and possible situations they may face.”