Personal Finance Teacher of the Year Awards: winners announced

interactive investor reveals the winners of the 2020 competition.

• Celebrating excellence in personal finance teaching in schools
• Winning teachers available for interview

Teachers and pupils have been under more strain than ever before this year – and the new academic year continues to bring the challenges of school bubbles, quarantine, and blended learning due to Covid-19.

interactive investor, the UK’s second largest consumer investment platform, is proud to announce the winners of the Personal Finance Teacher of the Year Awards 2020, in a year when financial literacy has become even more important. 

Pupils have seen family members and friends deal with new money issues due to the pandemic, such as furlough and job loss, worries about retirement income, cutting back on spending or starting a long-term savings plan.

The competition was set up to recognise excellence in personal finance education and raise the profile of the great work being done in schools across the country. The winning teachers have each won £5,000 for their schools; with highly commended teachers each winning £2,500 for their schools. 

The judges were: Guy Rigden, chief executive of charity MyBnk; Dominic Vallier, head of financial education relationship managers at the London Institute of Banking and Finance; Jeff Prestridge; personal finance editor, Mail on Sunday; Sam Brodbeck, personal finance editor, The Daily Telegraph; Laura Foll, portfolio manager, Janus Henderson Investors, Moira O’Neill, head of personal finance, interactive investor and Richard Wilson, CEO, interactive investor.

Richard Wilson, CEO, interactive investor, says: “I know all too well how hard teachers work at the best of times – my parents were both teachers. This year’s winners have continued to deliver top-quality personal financial education in the most challenging of times. Now more than ever, it is crucial that young people have the skills to develop a healthy relationship with money. These teachers are going the extra mile to help them do that – and their refusal to let a pandemic put a stop to these brilliant lessons deserves to be celebrated.”

Personal Finance Teacher of the Year

Winner (primary school)

Joint winners

Two strong entries, but with one a reception class and one year six, the judges found it impossible to choose between the two because the difference between these age groups is so significant.

Emma Muckalt, Arkholme Church of England Primary School, Carnforth, Lancashire

Emma tailored personal financial education in a very clever way for her reception class, talking about financial wants and needs in relation to a baby. She also worked this into the school’s own currency. Money was taught in the context of a baby's needs, with children asked to produce a simple list of items. With a budget of £10, this was a fun and engaging way to bring personal finance to life.

Guy Acres, Joseph Hood Primary School, London

The judges liked the highly interactive way Guy brought personal finance to life for year six, through props – whether origami (something he picked up while teaching in Japan), or paper planes – in relation to starting a business. The premise was simple: make as much money as possible, starting with no money. 

Runner up (primary school)

Tom Raffield, St David’s Preparatory School, Purley, Surrey

The judges praised how Tom brought personal finance education into his maths lessons in a fun and engaging way, exploring mobile phones, gaming technology, travel and even future career ideas. 

Tom has also launched a school-wide project geared towards finance, with a school currency named and designed by the children via a school vote. The juniors designed a note for their new currency, which is known as ‘Dragory’!

Winner (secondary school)

Darren Collins, The Sittingbourne School, Sittingbourne, Kent

Starting as a PE Teacher in September 2009, Darren moved towards personal finance education (using maths and business) six years ago; a change inspired by a wish to deliver a subject that he believed would offer great long-term benefits to students, particularly at a school with a high proportion of disadvantaged students. 

The judges were inspired by Darren’s refusal to let lockdown stop personal finance education, with a virtual assembly on the subject with an industry professional. Darren continues to champion financial courses within the upper school.

Highly commended

Kelly Chalk, Aylesbury Grammar School, Aylesbury

A business and economics teacher, the judges liked the breadth and depth of Kelly’s teaching, incorporating interactive personal finance teaching into PSHE and covering issues as wide as investing (including share games), taxes, interest rates and opportunity cost in decision-making.

Manisha Sahdev, Shenley Brook End School, Milton Keynes

The judges liked the way Manisha encouraged discussion between the students about money, and she also asked students what they wanted to learn about. Student finance, buying a house, and banks, were all very relevant to year 12, who are likely to have a bank account, but might want to refresh prior to university.