Swindon MP claims campaign win to have finance in school curriculum

7:00pm Friday 8th February 2013 in News By David Wiles

MPs Justin Tomlinson (Swindon North) and Robert Buckland (Swindon South) with members of Barclays Bank and New College students and staff, after taking part in a Question Time-style debate. The event was organised as part of the college’s Barclays Money MPs Justin Tomlinson (Swindon North) and Robert Buckland (Swindon South) with members of Barclays Bank and New College students and staff, after taking part in a Question Time-style debate. The event was organised as part of the college’s Barclays Money

SWINDON North MP Justin Tomlinson is declaring victory in his campaign for finance to be taught in schools as part of the National Curriculum.

Mr Tomlinson is chairman of the 251-strong all-party Parliamentary group on financial education for young people, which in December 2011 published a report calling for financial education to be made a compulsory part of the curriculum following a six-month inquiry.

In addition, more than 118,000 people signed an e-petition started by consumer champion Martin Lewis calling for financial education to be made compulsory.

Now the Government has published the new draft National Curriculum for England, which will see financial education embedded in both mathematics and in citizenship education, making financial capability a statutory part of the curriculum for the first time.

Ministers have faced growing calls for financial education to be made compulsory to equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to manage their personal finances and make informed financial decisions.

Mr Tomlinson said: “This is wonderful news and a huge victory for our campaign.

“I am delighted that financial education has finally been given the place it deserves as a compulsory part of the National Curriculum.

“Generations of young people will now gain the knowledge and skills they need to be able to manage their personal finances. This will make a real and lasting difference to financial capability in our country.”

The financial education charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) has also welcomed success for the campaign for compulsory financial education in schools.

Chief executive Tracey Bleakley said: “This is a huge victory for the campaign for financial education in schools.

“Financial education is essential in equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to be able to manage their money well.

“With financial mathematics included as a part of maths and financial capability included in citizenship education for the first time, the campaign has achieved both of its objectives.

“We are delighted that ministers have listened on both fronts.

“Financial education is an idea whose time has come.

“The campaign has been supported by teachers, parents, young people and more than 250 MPs and peers of all parties.

“Today’s news is a big leap forward for our ultimate goal of ensuring financial education is taught in every school throughout the UK.”

The new programme of study for citizenship specifically includes lessons on the functions and uses of money, the importance of personal budgeting, money management and a range of financial products and services, as well as wages, taxes, credit, debt and financial risk.

In addition, the new curriculum places a renewed emphasis on mathematics, including financial mathematics.

Comments(22)

LordAshOfTheBrake says...
7:27pm Fri 8 Feb 13

So Mr Tomlinson is taking the credit for Martin Lewis's activities on pushing for this to happen.

Typical politician. Take the credit when it belongs elsewhere. Blame someone else when it belongs to them.

Report this post »

Russell Holland says...
7:53pm Fri 8 Feb 13

Ash, you are wrong to be critical.

Justin is Chair of the the group of MPs who have been working on this since he got elected.

Martin Lewis has been very supportive of Justin
http://blog.moneysav
ingexpert.com/2010/1
0/25/mps-join-the-ca
ll-for-compulsory-fi
nancial-education/

Report this post »

LordAshOfTheBrake says...
8:04pm Fri 8 Feb 13

Nope.

The fight to get financial education compulsory started before Tomlinson was even an MP.

Report this post »

Russell Holland says...
8:17pm Fri 8 Feb 13

Ash - that may be so but Justin's efforts made a significant difference getting it onto the national curriculum.

Did you read the link I posted?

Report this post »

LordAshOfTheBrake says...
8:27pm Fri 8 Feb 13

Yes, but you missed the point.

There were many others who were pushing for this sort of thing for much longer; Martin Lewis is just one of them, there are others as well.

Tomlinson has simply picked up on an opportunity. Good for him in that sense, but he should be a little more humble and acknowledge the work of others as well.

Quote "SWINDON North MP Justin Tomlinson is declaring victory in his campaign for finance to be taught in schools as part of the National Curriculum. "

Notice the word "HIS"...!

Does he have a track record in this field before picking up on the campaign as an MP. Given he was first a councillor did he do anything for Swindon schools to do something first etc etc etc.

Report this post »

faatmaan says...
8:40pm Fri 8 Feb 13

like every politician, doing a 'John Terry', when Chelsea won the champions league, a glory hunter.

Report this post »

Russell Holland says...
8:46pm Fri 8 Feb 13

He quite clearly says "our campaign" in the quote that is actually from him.

Also look at http://www.pfeg.org/
about-us/news/%E2%80
%9Chuge-victory%E2%8
0%9D-financial-educa
tion-campaign

Report this post »

Davey Gravey says...
9:50pm Fri 8 Feb 13

A positive move. Now abolish religion in schools.

Report this post »

house on the hill says...
8:50am Sat 9 Feb 13

This is good for a start but it needs to go further. There should be a "life skills" subject that covers finance and the 3 "R's" Respect, Responsibilty and Reality. Children are just not prepared for life in the real world when they leave school, both being ready for work and being ready for life. A lot dont learn it at home because it isnt there either so schools must teach it for their sake and for everyone elses too.

As for taking credit thats a given in poltics to blow your own trumpet even if it i someone elses orchestra you are a small part of.

Report this post »

Morsey says...
10:07am Sat 9 Feb 13

He is so vain that he has a half page advert for himself in the Swindon Supermarine FC matchday programme. Did you know that he supports 'sport in the community' ... no, neither did I as many sports fields were built on during his Councillor years and public facilities went at the Oasis apparently with every Councillors' blessing?

Still, he's a good chap as he paid for his ad and brought revenue to the club via sponsorships. SSFC to erect a statue?

His business is in the promotional
field, I understand, so he is putting that to good effect. Don't see him in the Adver photos quite so much so he must be working hard at Westminster on projects like this?

Aaprt from politics, he appears to be a very nice man?

Report this post »

the_bean_counter says...
10:20am Sat 9 Feb 13

Who that short stocky fella on the right, next to Justin ? Is that the chief tea maker ? Oh its Robert :p

Report this post »

Always Grumpy says...
11:52am Sat 9 Feb 13

I think Mr Tomlinson should direct his efforts in the education of financial awareness, to Swindon Councillors, starting with My Bluh. Their record of financial management shortcomings clearly indicate their inability to manage Swindon's finances.

Report this post »

Always Grumpy says...
5:16pm Sat 9 Feb 13

Whoops, Mr Bluh

Report this post »

Davey Gravey says...
9:12pm Sat 9 Feb 13

Morsey wrote:
He is so vain that he has a half page advert for himself in the Swindon Supermarine FC matchday programme. Did you know that he supports 'sport in the community' ... no, neither did I as many sports fields were built on during his Councillor years and public facilities went at the Oasis apparently with every Councillors' blessing?

Still, he's a good chap as he paid for his ad and brought revenue to the club via sponsorships. SSFC to erect a statue?

His business is in the promotional
field, I understand, so he is putting that to good effect. Don't see him in the Adver photos quite so much so he must be working hard at Westminster on projects like this?

Aaprt from politics, he appears to be a very nice man?
How many people read their programmes? Reckon fifty at the most.

Report this post »

Morsey says...
9:43am Sun 10 Feb 13

I think you miss the point DG ... would YOU have the audacity to advertise yourself as an individual, in a sports programme ... I doubt it ... vanity of the highest order! Self-promotion is no promotion I feel ... a bit of humility amongst politicians would be better as most were not overwhelmingly elected to allow them to represent their personal and party views.

I have asked around and I think he set a precedent with this as sport is generally accepted as non-political, Celtic and Rangers apart! Religion ... huh!

Report this post »

RichardR1 says...
12:19pm Sun 10 Feb 13

For those who clearly don't know Justin made great efforts to support Supermarine in their latest developments, ask their committee rather than slate him.

I do think if the 3 R's were better taught financial managment would be a lot easier.

Both our MP's work tirelessly for the Borough unlike the two self serving previous incumbents.

Report this post »

Morsey says...
2:55pm Sun 10 Feb 13

Read my previous post ... I have given credit for his support of Supermarine FC, and I am fully aware that the Committee are extremely grateful, but that was not the general gist of the self-promo story and comments was it, merely an aspect thereof?

Michael Wills and Anne Snelgrove are previous MPs who actually did not spout on about all the work they did for the town in the same way as Mr T, Mr B and the enterage plus the paper. Their actions spoke for themselves, though I guess you would have been loathe to use their offices (opposing political angles) to aid and assist you in the same way that I would presently have thought would receive assistance from members of a ruling party that I currently despise I guess?

Report this post »

RichardR1 says...
5:18pm Sun 10 Feb 13

Morsey please feel free to post where the Labour MP's actually supported local people when voting in the Commons. Post Office closures come to mind,

Report this post »

Morsey says...
5:55pm Sun 10 Feb 13

History, me old mate ... and as for the Royal Mail, I have personal experience over many years to show the ways in which Governments were unsupportive in the way they encouraged unfair competition to private operators who cherry-picked, undercut and didn't have to do the difficult 'final mile', when the cost of a stamp was under-valued. A token stance by MPs and Councillors of many persuasions, to stop clusures of branches, was futile as PO branches were being systematically unused and services / incomes removed, yet sub-postmasters were on substantial salaries. Very few POs, which were earmarked for closure, actually were saved by politicians as the Royal Mail was an exclusive agency with a compulsory acceptance of all that was pushed onto their services on the cheap, yet incomes were being stifled.

I will say that MPs supporting local is a bit of a joke because, in my quite long years, there have been very few occasions where Swindon MPs of whatever party have really voted against their Government and more in favour of our town. It is an argument over a hole in the ground. The Railway Works was shut down very quickly by the supporting S.Coombs and that is the poorest example I can find of the MP not representing the town, and for personal profit to boot! The other major Tory move was to inflict the Northern Expansion on the town without the proper roads infrastructure, and that is something that residents are still feeling the effects of to this day ... MP Ridley did not appear to be challenged over his 'Pickles' - like infliction of poorly suited plans without the proper thought behind them.

Old hat, I know ... but I don't remember Wills and Snelgrove causing anywhere near this type of detrimental damage to Swindon, so maybe it's what didn't go wrong during their reins which is more appropriate to note?

Report this post »

RichardR1 says...
8:45am Mon 11 Feb 13

Post Office closures as we know came as a direct result of EU directives fully supported by Labour during their watch which was what introduced the competition.

As for MP's not voting against their Government, take a look at Justin's voting record 9 times already.

Anne Snelgrove just 7 times in 5 years, and most of them were 'conscience' votes like abortion.

Wills % times including HoL, again either conscience or in his case personal issues, like recording correct address on electoral role, he rebelled.

Rob Buckland 7 rebels.

So Morsey on the evidence who are the yes men.

Report this post »

RichardR1 says...
8:46am Mon 11 Feb 13

Wills should have been 5 times.

Report this post »

LordAshOfTheBrake says...
9:41pm Mon 11 Feb 13

@Morsey,

Quote "Old hat, I know ... but I don't remember Wills and Snelgrove causing anywhere near this type of detrimental damage to Swindon, so maybe it's what didn't go wrong during their reins which is more appropriate to note?"


However they were part of New Labour which clearly didn't have a clue about fiscal management. Spending billions on the countries credit card with no hope of ever paying it back; even in the boom years.

Its a bigger damming indictment of their incompetence that they didn't get any of that money spent locally; at least there would be something in Swindon to show for it except more and more houses......

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree