Financial education MP named ‘MP of the month’
It’s great to see the campaign to get financial education in schools getting recognition within political circles. Congratulations to Justin Tomlinson MP for being named ‘MP of the month for May’ by...
View ArticleIs it time to teach uncertainty in schools?
Sometimes there just isn’t a right answer, or at least not without a crystal ball. This simple fact is one many people struggle to grasp. My focus is financial, but this impacts all elements of life...
View ArticleStudent Finance 2012 changes – it’s time to tackle the ignorance
Update Note 13 June 2011: Now see the new Student Finance 2012 the facts guide (direct link www.studentfinance2012.com I had a good meeting yesterday with David Willetts (Minister for Universities and...
View ArticleDon’t believe everything you read in The Times about me and student loans
I was rather surprised to open up a copy of The Times to see: "Money guru enlisted to sell tuition fees as costing two pints and a bag of crisps". This shock headline is rather far from the truth – and...
View ArticleMSE to donate £35,000 to the campaign for financial education in schools – a...
For transparency, as it’s the site’s first ever ‘political’, as opposed to standard charity donation (see charity fund) I thought this was important to blog about. The site and I have been championing...
View ArticleNew Money Mantra for 13-year-olds
I loved the feedback from a class of 13-year-olds that they’d come up with a few more money mantras. It’s the first feedback we’ve received, since launching our new Teen Cash Class Activity Sheets for...
View ArticleHelp! How do I explain student finance to 16,000 kids at a rock concert?
It’s brown trouser time. Next week I’ll be speaking to a crowd of 16,000 at the O2 arena about student finance, right before acts such as Diversity, Tinchy Stryder and Chipmunk perform. Yet frankly I’m...
View ArticleGetting boos from 16,000 people about student loans was quite an experience…
It’s not often I get to say: "yesterday I opened at the O2 Arena, for the Transformation Trust Rock Assembly". The challenge was to talk student finance to kids desperate to see Tinchy Stryder,...
View ArticleStudents – lower earners deferring to 2012 could pay LESS
A’level results are out this week and usually many students consider fun gap years, or the option of postponing a year to get into the uni of their choice. Yet this year, for some this option’s filled...
View Article“If no-one will fully repay £9,000 student tuition fees – how is the system...
Tuition fees for many rise to £9,000 in 2012. This has left scores of parents and students scared of graduating with £50,000+ debts. But now, many people who’ve used our whizzy, new Student Finance...
View ArticleStop early redemption penalties on student loans: the MSE consultation feedback
Stop early redemption penalties on student loans: the MSE consultation feedback The student loan system’s undergoing a radical overhaul that’ll hit new 2012 starters and beyond (not current students)....
View ArticleDear Mr Cameron, if you want more than to just post sticking plasters on...
The following text is an open letter to David Cameron, an extract of this was also published in today’s The Sun newspaper, and has been sent to Number 10 Downing Street. Dear Mr Cameron, If you want...
View Article‘You can afford to go to uni’– the message is getting through
University applications are down 9% and sadly many students and parents are being scared off 2012 applications due to myths and misunderstandings about the new fees (a few for the right reasons too)....
View ArticleWhat do I do if my MP is the Speaker?
I was slightly stumped by this question yesterday. I had tweeted asking people to take 2 minutes to write to their MP to encourage them to attend the financial education debate in the Commons this...
View ArticleFinancial education in the House of Commons – who said what
Proof 100,000 people can make a difference. Yesterday I spent five hours in the gallery of the House of Commons on the back of the e-petition many of you signed about putting financial education on the...
View ArticleThe financial education debate – in full
Below is a cut and paste of the Hansard transcript of last week’s debate (source: Parliament). For those wanting a quick summary see my financial education debate – who said what blog, as the...
View ArticleStudent loans will be interest free for many 2012 starters
On principle I hate the fact 2012 uni starters aren’t just going to pay for their education, but for financing it too. For the first time students will be charged ‘real’ interest rates. This may seem...
View ArticleNot even a mention, Mr Gove? Plus breaking the quiet carriage rules due to...
I still can’t quite believe it. Financial education is going to be part of the national curriculum (see the MSE News story). I found out sitting on a London to Manchester train at 9.58am yesterday – 90...
View ArticleDo your kids go to an academy school? I’ve a job for you
Yesterday, it was announced that financial education is to become part of the compulsory national curriculum within citizenship and maths. This is fantastic news, but it only binds maintained schools,...
View ArticleThree money lessons I’ll teach my daughter
Update May 2015: Baby MSE is still my baby, but it’s more accurate to say she’s probably little girl MSE at 2 and a half year’s old. Most of the lessons below are still in the future for her. Though...
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