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The government’s plan to upgrade the curriculum in England is a long-awaited win. Not just for classrooms, but for living rooms too. For years, financial education has been patchy, optional, or missing altogether. And our children have felt the impact.
A recent review looked closely at how subjects are taught and assessed. The findings were clear. Children are being underserved, and in some cases the structure of certain subjects is holding them back rather than helping them. The good news? Change is finally on the way.
One of the most significant recommendations is the introduction of financial literacy and media literacy into citizenship lessons. These changes will start in 2028. If delivered well, they’ll create a generation of young people who are more informed, more confident, and better equipped for adult life.
And we need this. Children are earning pocket money and making spending choices far earlier than most of us did. They use debit cards, online shops, and gaming platforms long before they reach secondary school. Teaching them how to understand, manage, and grow their money is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It’s essential.
We also know that children form money habits shockingly early. By the age of seven, many of their basic financial behaviours are already shaped. That means the lessons they learn at school often mirror what’s happening at home. When confidence is low in a household, that lack of confidence passes on.
The report also highlighted stubborn gaps in educational achievement. Young people from lower-income backgrounds and those with SEND make less progress than their peers. Without intervention, these inequalities repeat themselves in adulthood. That includes financial capability, which has a direct link to long-term security.
This is why the new curriculum matters. By making financial education statutory in primary schools, the government is levelling the playing field. It means all children will have access to the basics of money, saving, budgeting, and spending wisely. Regardless of what their parents know. Regardless of their postcode.
It’s also a breakthrough for women and mothers. Research shows that almost seven in ten women say they have a limited understanding of investments. Many feel confident with day-to-day budgeting but less comfortable with long-term wealth building. This lack of early confidence feeds into the gender wealth gap that widens as we age.
But imagine a generation of girls who start from a different place. Girls who see bank accounts, ISAs, and investing as simple tools they can use. Girls who learn to talk about money openly, understand how it works, and believe they have every right to build wealth.
Alongside the wider financial inclusion strategy, which focuses on helping families build confidence at home and expanding access to quality money guidance, this feels like a real shift. One that’s been a long time coming.
For mums especially, this is powerful. It means knowing your child, and your daughter, will step into adulthood with skills many of us had to learn the hard way. They’ll have the foundations you may never have been given. And that’s something worth celebrating.
Every child learns differently. Every family is different. But we can all agree on one thing. Financial literacy is a life skill. And it should be accessible to every child.
If you want to feel as confident with money as you hope your daughter will, start with our free Financial Health Check. It takes a few minutes and gives you a clear, simple picture of where you stand today.
Welleness is a women-led business on a mission to close the gender finance gap for good. We offer women a clear, confident and caring pathway to financial health – zero jargon, no pressure.