Talk Money Week in Primary – Why We Should ‘Start the Conversation’ Early

Talk Money Week (3rd-7th November 2025) champions a simple idea: open conversations about money lead to better decisions and outcomes. With children beginning to develop the skills needed to manage money between ages 3-7, these five days of the calendar deserve more than just lip service in primary schools. Children notice money long before they manage it. If we help them name what they’re noticing and practise good habits early, we can set trajectories for money confidence in adulthood.

The case for “money talk” in primary

If you’re on the fence as to whether or not to mark Talk Money Week in your school next week, here are some points to convince you:

• Talking about money is linked to better outcomes. The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) summarises the evidence: people who talk about money make better, less risky decisions, feel more in control, and help their children form good lifetime habits. That’s the whole point of Talk Money Week: conversation as the catalyst for action.
• Habits form early. A landmark review for the (then) Money Advice Service concluded that key money habits are shaped in early childhood, typically by around age seven. That means waiting until secondary school is too late to build the mindset foundations that set children up for money success in later life.
• Parental talk matters and schools can leverage this influence - MaPS’s Talk, Learn, Do programme (a two-hour intervention for parents of 3–11s) produced measurable changes a year later: more family conversations about spending (+12%), more discussion about the influence of advertising (+14%), more pocket money given (+13%), and parents reporting stronger beliefs in children’s understanding of saving (+14%). A small, structured nudge to talk made a difference at home.
• Financial education works. Meta-analyses across dozens of experiments show that financial education improves knowledge (meaningfully) and behaviours (modestly but significantly). As all primary teachers know, education works best as a dialogic process; discussing ideas and concepts is key in moving them into long-term memory.
• The international picture underscores the need. OECD findings show that many children and teenagers struggle with fundamental financial concepts; PISA 2022 calls for ensuring all school pupils receive financial education, with family interactions playing a role too. Starting early in primary helps close gaps before they widen. (OECD)

What “financial education” looks like in primary

In England, financial education sits across maths and PSHE/citizenship; guidance from MaPS and the PSHE Association frames it as part of a broad, balanced curriculum focused on economic wellbeing and real-life application. The aim isn’t to turn 9-year-olds into mini-accountants, but to help them practise everyday decisions (planning, saving, sharing, spending, spotting persuasion) and build language and confidence.

Yet despite the need, provision remains patchy. For example, only 47 % of children aged 7-17 surveyed in 2022 say they have received a “meaningful financial education” in either school or home settings — and just 33 % recall something useful taught at school. In primary settings, only 1 % of UK primary teachers believe their pupils have an adequate level of financial literacy — a stark indicator of how much work remains. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Education Committee concluded that financial education in schools “is currently inadequate and must be improved urgently”.

From status to stewardship: the values beneath the numbers

Children absorb cues about status, “having the best,” and living beyond one’s means, long before they learn the technical side of finances. Classroom talk can gently flip the script:

• From “Can I get it?” to “What am I choosing if I do?” – conversations about spending allow children to see that you can’t spend the same pounds twice – if you choose to splurge on a treat now, it hampers your ability to save for something big later.
• From “What they have vs. what I have” to “What goals am I working towards?” Self-discipline is the kind of mature ‘behaviour muscle’ that, when strengthened, has benefits across multiple areas of a child’s future – not just in terms of money. However, the context of financial education provides a highly tangible motivation to build this behaviour; children can see the difference it makes over time in literal ‘pounds and pence’ terms.
• From “Ads tell me what I want” to “Ads are designed to persuade me.” ‘Becoming a critical consumer’ is a core strand of the Young Money financial education framework for the primary years, and with good reason. In an age where children are bombarded with influences via more channels than ever, being wise to when you’re being influenced is a vital component of becoming a money-savvy adult.
• From “Money is private/shameful” to “Money is something we can discuss kindly and wisely.” We must throw off the unhelpful received wisdom that says money is a taboo subject for discussion, that money worries need to be endured in silence and that if you’re struggling with money, it’s your own fault and your problem to solve. These attitudes still endure among the adult population in the UK. By encouraging children to talk about money early, we can make such barriers a thing of the past.

Practical conversation starters (for classrooms and families)

As well as an assembly to raise awareness of the week in school, why not try one of the following next week to get pupils in your school talking about money? Here are some ideas to ‘start the conversation’, both at school and at home:

In school

1. The £10 challenge (KS2). “You’ve got £10 for a class party. What are three ways you could spend it? What’s the trade-off in each?” Extend with budgeting and saving a portion.
2. Ad detective (KS1–2). Show in two adverts that are targeted at children. Ask: “What are they trying to make you feel? What information is missing?” Link to needs vs. wants and PSHE content on influence.
3. Pocket-money policies (KS2 circle time). Pupils design a fair pocket-money or classroom-token system with rules for earn/spend/save/share. Discuss fairness, effort, and delayed gratification.
4. Goal jars (KS1). Three jars: Spend now, Save for later, Share. Role-play a small windfall (e.g., £2) and decide how to split it. Revisit weekly to see progress.
5. Maths in the wild (KS2). Compare unit prices, percentage discounts, or “3 for 2” offers from real (anonymised) shop examples. Ask, “Which is actually best value — and why?”

At home (teachers can share in newsletters / parent workshops)

1. Plan a mini shop. Give a simple list and a budget. Let the child choose items, compare prices, and check the receipt together.
2. Talk about ads you see. “What are they promising? Do we need it? How could we check if it’s good value?”
3. Pocket money with purpose. Agree a small, regular amount, with a plan to split between spend/save/share. Review monthly: “What changed because you saved?”
4. Name the trade-off. When saying “not today,” add a why: “We’re saving for swimming lessons/your grandparents’ visit/etc.” This links choices to goals.
5. Let children handle small amounts. Allow them to pay at a till; track a short-term goal; compare two purchasing options online. Confidence grows with safe practice.

Implementation tips for schools

• Map it across the year. Use Talk Money Week (this year: 3–7 November 2025) as a springboard, then timetable short follow-ups each half-term. (MaPS)
• Blend maths + PSHE. Use maths for skills (prices, percentages, unit value) and PSHE for decision-making, influence, and wellbeing. MaPS primary guidance shows how to weave this through subjects.
• Activate parents. Share Talk, Learn, Do-style prompts in newsletters; even a single workshop or handout can boost home conversations and behaviours. (fincap.org.uk)
• Build teacher confidence. Short CPD on money conversations (and a bank of scenarios) pays off; MaPS materials and PSHE Association tips are a good start. (pshe-association.org.uk)

Conclusion: early talk, lifelong benefits

All the relevant research converges to a clear conclusion: talking about money helps; habits are formed early; well-designed education works; and schools can spark confident family conversations. This Talk Money Week, let’s normalise little, regular about money chats - in classrooms and in living rooms - so children grow up seeing money not as a source of status or stress, but as everyday choices they can navigate well.

Sources (selected)

• Money and Pensions Service: Talk Money Week  
• Whitebread & Bingham (2013): Habit Formation and Learning in Young Children
• MaPS/FinCap: Talk, Learn, Do
• Kaiser & Menkhoff (NBER/Journal of Economic Literature): Meta-analysis of financial education
• OECD: PISA 2022 financial literacy (Vol. IV) and OECD/INFE adult financial literacy 2023
• MaPS: Financial Education Guidance for Primary Schools (England)