Economy submits its response to the Department for Education’s call for evidence on compulsory PSHE
Last week, we wrote about the government’s call for evidence regarding the statutory nature of PSHE in schools, encouraging as many people from as many perspectives to respond, as possible.
In our call for a basic economics education at school, we firmly believe the statutory nature of PSHE has a key role to play in preparing young people for the world they will grow up into.
One of our teachers working with us, Conner Andrews, published his perspective as a TeachFirst Ambassador; we spoke on national radio about the importance of the E in PSHE; and our letter to Damien Hinds MP, Secretary of State for Education, signed alongside organisations including The PSHE Association, the National Association of Headteachers, The National Education Union, NSPCC and others was published in The Times.
Of course, we also submitted our own response to the call for evidence.
Our full submission to is outlined below, and we continue to build our portfolio of evidence for the statutory nature of a basic economics teaching in schools. Read more about our project generously supported by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Our submission in full:
Department for Education
Public Consultation: Changes to the teaching of Sex & Relationship Education and PSHE
Submitted by
ECONOMY
Registered Charity Number 1166046
Joe Richards
joe.richards@ecnmy.org
I am an: Adult
Question 1
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Question 5
We are Economy (charity 1166046) advocating for greater economic literacy. We believe this contributes to increased capacity to manage personal finances, and effective participation in democracy.
We support the PSHE Association’s three priority PSHE subject areas: Health & Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World. We further argue that economics has a vital role to play across these subject areas in PSHE for three main reasons.
Firstly, there is increasing demand from both younger and older generations for school education of economics, with 76% of UK citizens stating it should form part of the curriculum(1). In two separate reports(2,3), Ofsted cited that economic education is the subject in which students feel most ill-equipped for the real world. Youth Parliament calls for a “curriculum for life”, with 142,000 youth saying this is their most important issue. Rising demand is also signified by the doubling of students studying GCSE economics since the financial crisis (from 0.6% to 1.6%)(4).
Secondly, economics strengthens the wider curriculum: a basic understanding provides the perfect context for “economic wellbeing”, a recognised objective within PSHE. PSHE’s wider objectives of risk and safety can also be met through a stronger understanding of the world. As young people undertake learning in financial literacy, economic literacy provides a wider context for understanding, solidifying and strengthening this learning.
Thirdly, economics provides the foundations effective democracy later in life, developed further in secondary education.
1: ING/Economics Network, 2017
2: https://goo.gl/K72Fu4 P16
3: https://goo.gl/2Dxh82 P18
4: Cambridge Assessments
Question 6
The three previous subject areas should be built on using the spiral curriculum method. Economics education is key as young people transition from teenagers to young adults. The National Curriculum aims to prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life (National Curriculum 2.1). Yet many adults are ill-equipped to deal with the kinds of economic conversations they will be presented with via the news and politics(1). This is especially startling for those from disadvantaged backgrounds: in 2016, 7% of adults from C2DE households felt that the way economics was communicated in the media was accessible.
Initial work we have undertaken at secondary school level reveals the high level of anxiety with which young people approach subjects relating to the economy, from debt to housing, to understanding the pension market. Statutory PSHE provides a framework which encourages students to engage actively with their economic citizenship, promoting core media literacy, communication and citizenship skills.
Economic literacy means we can understand and evaluate economic concepts not only as they relate to personal finance, but also our national and global interests and in the context of our political systems. In 2017, 45% of UK citizens reported they did not understand the economic consequences of Brexit(2), and 46% of UK adults wanted to improve their knowledge of economics to help them make informed decisions when voting and to understand the world. In 2016 we demonstrated those who didn’t vote in the 2015 election had 10 percentage points’ less confidence in their economic understanding(3)
2: ING/Economics Network, 2017
Question 7
Ofsted reports(1) financial education as not always relevant to the young people receiving it because of failure to adapt lessons, for example, to young people’s socio-economic or religious status (where some individuals may have greater exposure to payday-loan companies, for example; or where differing teachings on borrowing exist). We believe this demonstrates that autonomy is required at the school level to adapt teaching to the needs of pupils, but that greater coordination and support is needed at the resource level to provide basic materials that teachers are able to adapt. The economy is an important area for balance in exposure to ideas. In this sense, it is important to provide teachers with access to resources which engage with a range of economic perspectives. We believe this is the kind of support that statutory status would bring.
To support this, we also strongly back the PSHE Association’s call for training, with PSHE covered in teacher training and ongoing opportunities to learn. Statutory status would also help ensure a viable career pathway for PSHE specialist teachers.
One reason teachers may not adapt teaching for suitability may be because of a lack of proper training, and lack confidence to apply the Assessment For Learning strategies that are integral to all other aspects of their teaching. Ofsted have identified that PSHE is often so poor because of the lack of AFL(2).
About us
We are Economy (registered charity 1166046) advocating for greater economic literacy from young age to adulthood, equipping people to partake effectively in democracy, and to more confidently manage their personal finances. We conduct research that understands how people feel about the subject, provide products and services that improve people’s economic literacy, and campaign for institutions to offer clearer communication around the economy.
In the past two years we have worked with institutions such as The Bank of England, The Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Economics Society, The Economics Business and Enterprise Association (EBEA) and others to develop a user-led approach to greater understanding around the economy. We have featured regularly across media outlets including the BBC, the Guardian, the I newspaper and on various national radio. Our public endorsements are available at www.ecnmy.org/buzz and www.ecnmy.org/press.
- END OF SUBMISSION*
If you’re interested in our schools campaign, and you’d to be involved, please contact joe.richards@ecnmy.org.
