PERSONAL finance education has made it onto the teen agenda at Maidstone’s Invicta Grammar School.

Pupils whose generation face a future managing the debts of university tuition fees and providing for their own retirement have had valuable lessons in personal money management thanks to an innovative business studies project.

Supported by staff from HSBC bank in Maidstone, Invicta Grammar’s head of business and finance Julie Derrick challenged the Year 10 business students to market and design personal finance teaching packs for primary age children.

The idea was prompted when Julie discovered how little older students understood about personal finance.

She said: "I was really shocked. They didn’t even know what an account payee was." Unfortunately, Julie was constrained in her ideas by the lack of scope within the national curriculum to teach personal finance.

"The only way I could integrate it was to look at marketing, which was brilliant because they learned marketing without realising it."

With the co-operation of Archbishop Courtney, St John’s and Eastborough primary schools, the girls were able to meet the children and market research their ideas.

Different money topics, including debt, budgeting, saving and card fraud, had to be conveyed and despite the seemingly adult subject the Invicta girls were surprised at how much the youngsters knew.

"They knew what a cheque was and they knew the basics of credit cards," said Robyn Keynes.

Teaching personal finance to 10-year-olds demanded the girls be creative with their lesson ideas. The subjects of debt and budgeting were brought to life through games and quizzes, while one group taught PIN numbers and card fraud by making a short film.

Their work has greatly impressed their adult mentors but it is the girls who have really gained.

"Our presentation skills have vastly improved and all of us have gained a great deal of confidence," said Cassie Simmonds.

"We think more about what we do with our money now," said Robyn Keynes. "Where before we would spend money on whatever we felt like, now we are a bit more careful."

The group also agreed that other schools should run similar schemes.

"I think we’ve learned more by teaching others and also it’s beneficial for children of that age to start learning now," said Hannah Hook.

In turn the project focused the girls’ thoughts on the future. All of them plan to take A-Level Business Studies, while careers in finance and teaching are now new options in their minds.