Experian and pfeg to transform 20 schools across the UK into beacons of financial education excellence

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Experian and pfeg to transform 20 schools across the UK into beacons of financial education excellence

In a ground-breaking new partnership announced today between Experian©, the global information services company, and the UK’s leading financial education charity pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group), 20 schools in some of the country’s most financially disadvantaged areas will be transformed into Centres of Excellence in financial education. 

Funded by Experian and delivered by pfeg, the initiative will give thousands of school children access to a life-changing financial literacy programme enabling them to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to be able to make the right financial decisions and manage their money well into adulthood.

To provide targeted support, schools will be identified by Experian using its tools to provide insight into areas of the country with low levels of financial literacy and use of financial services such as bank and savings accounts.

pfeg’s educational specialists will work with the selected schools to help create a tailored financial education programme for pupils and to ensure all teachers are trained to deliver the innovative personal finance lessons and activities. In addition, trained Experian volunteers will also be matched to schools to offer support to teachers in the classroom.

Experian will be funding the development of 20 schools and school clusters to achieve pfeg Centres of Excellence status over the next three years, making them beacons of best practice in teaching children and young people about money. Schools will be required, as a condition of achieving Centre of Excellence status, to use local school cluster networks to help neighbouring schools set up financial education programmes, to help make a significant and lasting impact on their local communities.

Tracey Bleakley, pfeg chief executive, said:“Our Centres of Excellence programme is transforming the landscape of financial education in schools. The work of pfeg Centres of Excellence across the country forms a key part of our plans to ensure that every young person in the UK leaves school with the skills, knowledge and confidence to manage their personal finances.

“We are delighted to be working with Experian to expand this programme to 20 new schools in areas of deprivation across the country. It has never been more important to ensure that young people are taught these crucial life skills, and our partnership will benefit thousands of children over the next three years and beyond.”

Craig Boundy, Managing Director, Experian UK&I, said:“This important new partnership with pfeg will make a real difference to children and schools in those areas in the UK where support is needed the most.  Giving people access to the information they need to make better financial decisions sits right at the heart of Experian and we have been developing free financial education resources for a number of years.  The combination of pfeg’s expertise with our high-quality teaching resources and our classroom volunteering will mean that young people have the opportunity to gain the vital knowledge and skills they need to make the right decisions about money.”

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For more information contact
pfeg's Matt Hartley on 020 7330 9478 or 07730 141519 or email matt.hartley@pfeg.org 
Experian’s James Jones on 0115 9922336, james.jones@experian.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Centres of Excellence

• A total of 39 schools and school clusters have now been awarded pfeg Centre of Excellence status
• Centres of Excellence status is awarded to schools or school clusters that have been recognised and rewarded for taking big steps forward in bringing personal finance education to all the children and young people in their school
• pfeg works with candidate schools and school clusters to embed financial education into the curriculum through the provision of teacher training, consultancy and support to feeder schools
• For more information on the Centres of Excellence Programme see http://www.pfeg.org/services/centres-excellence
  

About pfeg

• pfeg (Personal Finance Education Group) is the UK’s leading finance education charity
• pfeg provides free support, resources and expert consultancy to help schools plan and teach financial capability. Its mission is to ensure that all young people leaving school are equipped with the confidence, skills and knowledge they need in financial matters to take part fully in society.
• pfeg works with teachers, government, consumer bodies and financial industry representatives to assist schools in delivering personal finance education to the highest possible standards – making sure that children and young people are able to understand money and make informed choices which will guarantee them security and economic well-being in the long-term.
• pfeg was won a Charity Times Award in 2012 for it’s What Money Means partnership with HSBC and was named Educational Charity of the Year at the Charity Awards in June 2010
• For more information see www.pfeg.org or contact Matt Hartley on 020 7330 9478 or matt.hartley@pfeg.org
  
  

Experian and financial education 
Experian has run a financial education programme in the UK since the mid 1990s and has developed a wide selection of resources to help young consumers get to grips with issues around money, credit and credit checking. Existing teaching resources include Creditability, an interactive computer game for 14 to 16-year-olds and Getting Credit: A beginner’s guide a set of lesson plans and support materials. Its latest schools resource, Values, Money and Me, helps primary school children get to grips with practical and emotional aspects of money. All of Experian’s education resources are available from http://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/resources.html

About Experian
Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2012 was US$4.5 billion. Experian employs approximately 17,000 people in 44 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and São Paulo, Brazil.
For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.