Cambridge School of Bucharest shortlisted for TES Awards: recognising sudent-led financial literacy curriculum

Cambridge School of Bucharest (CSB) has been shortlisted for a TES Award under the category “Curriculum Initiative of the Year.” This recognition is a testament to the pioneering efforts of CSB staff and students and acknowledges the need for students to understand fundamental fiscal concepts and the importance of making informed financial choices. This crucial life skill holds significant value for young people both personally and professionally and equips students with essential knowledge to navigate the financial challenges of adulthood. The curriculum has now been rolled out school-wide, spanning ages 3 to 18 years.

A group of Sixth Form Economics and Business students—Tania F., Nora V., Andrei A., Tudor B., Tudor G., Tudor Bl., and Alexia R.—played a pivotal role in curriculum development by researching, planning, and writing the whole-school financial literacy curriculum. These exceptionally capable students were chosen by the Social Sciences department due to their outstanding academic results, their involvement in work experience placements and internships, as well as their competition participation in events such as the Economics Olympiad and World Economics Cup.

They collaborated to select topics including money management, budgeting, financial planning, investing, saving, borrowing, and taxation. They chose to address the practical application of finance in today's modern world, covering themes such as financial planning, responsible spending habits, and internet safety regarding money—a pertinent issue amidst rising internet scams and fraud. Students then scaffolded these concepts into age-appropriate schemes of work under the guidance of Katie Shanahan, Head of Teaching and Learning, Alexandra Dache, Head of Social Sciences, and CSB’s Key Stage 4 and 5 Business and Economics teachers.

“As professional teacher and long-time member of CSB, it was a great joy to work with these dedicated students and watch them use their collective knowledge and passion to build something award-worthy for their younger colleagues and invest in their school community,” shares Ms Shanahan.

At the heart of CSB's educational vision is the commitment to provide students with a platform to be heard and a means to take on responsibility. This financial literacy curriculum exemplifies this vision by empowering students to actively shape their educational environment and leave a legacy for future generations. The mature sense of responsibility displayed by the students has not only elevated the standards of financial education at CSB but has also underscored the school's crucial role in fostering financial literacy.

“Creating the financial literacy programme has given me the opportunity not only to develop my conceptual knowledge regarding Economics, but also to further prepare myself for managing my finances and investments as I enter my adult life. Moreover, the student-led programme includes topics we ourselves find relevant, therefore, serving as a very practical approach to financial literacy which I believe to be tremendously beneficial to pupils as they are exposed to these applicable concepts at a young age,” Tania, Year 12.