This week, Year 10 students had the opportunity to take part in the “My Money: Jobs & Apprenticeships” talks, which were delivered during their regular maths lessons. The sessions provided an excellent link to their ongoing classroom work on money management, fractions, decimals, and percentages, and offered students practical insights into careers and personal finance.

The talks began with an activity on true or false statements about work and apprenticeships, helping students learn key facts about workers’ rights, including pay entitlements and the differences between full-time, part-time, and zero-hour contracts. This activity encouraged students to think critically about employment conditions and understand what to expect as they transition into the working world.

In the second activity, students were challenged with a hypothetical budgeting exercise. Given £320 as a weekly wage, they had to plan their spending on essentials such as food, bills, and accommodation. This hands-on task demonstrated the importance of financial literacy and the need to make thoughtful spending choices to manage limited resources effectively.

Students were also introduced to apprenticeships as a valuable career pathway, learning how they provide a unique opportunity to earn while learning and gain practical skills in a chosen field. The talks also covered the skills employers are looking for, helping students understand how to prepare for future opportunities.

These sessions not only supported the maths curriculum but also provided essential life skills that students can carry with them into adulthood. We’re proud of how engaged and thoughtful our Year 10s were throughout the talks, and we thank the presenters for delivering such a valuable learning experience.