ARE these Dunstable’s high-flying businessmen and women of the future?
The youngsters gained early entrepreneurial experience with the help of a major national bank.
Children at Lark Rise Academy, aged between five and nine, used a virtual bank to gain an understanding of different occupations, such as firefighters, carpenters and fitness instructors, and learn basic money management.
The pupils of the Cartmel Drive, Dunstable, school also took part in an exercise where they planned a celebration for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and were judged on their ability to present a project on time and to budget.
NatWest’s ‘MoneySense’ coach, June Wilkinson, said: “We’ve had a fantastic time at Lark Rise Academy and I have been really impressed with the creativity and business acumen the young people have shown.
“The importance of financial capability for young people cannot be underestimated as it’s essential that they are equipped with the skills and confidence required to make decisions in adult life.”
Marcus Ray, teacher at Lark Rise Academy, said: “This has been a great activity, which the young people have really enjoyed. We can’t thank June and NatWest enough for making such a wonderful programme available to our pupils and for coming along to help us deliver it.”
Since 1994, NatWest and its parent group RBS have invested almost £40million in their ‘MoneySense’ programme to develop business sense in young people.