Bringing Real-World Maths into the Classroom

Everyday maths is a skill many adults wish they had learned in school. As part of our commitment to teaching essential life skills beyond the classroom, the Truro School Maths Department is making sure today’s pupils have that opportunity.

This term, all pupils in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Year have been exploring Financial Education as part of their maths curriculum. They have been learning about the role of HMRC, what tax is, and how to calculate income tax, national insurance, and take-home pay. This initiative stems from feedback from our AQA Level 3 Mathematical Studies (Core Maths) students, who, when learning about Personal Finance, expressed a desire to have covered these topics earlier in their education.

Mr Butterworth, Head of Mathematics, emphasised the importance of this addition to the curriculum, “Financial education is a crucial skill for young people. By teaching pupils about tax, national insurance, and personal finance from an early age, we empower them to make informed financial decisions in the future. It is fantastic to see our younger pupils engaging so positively with these real-life applications of mathematics.”

Pupils have responded enthusiastically to these lessons, with many appreciating the practical knowledge they have gained. One 2nd Year pupil said, “I never really thought about how much of your salary goes to tax and national insurance. It’s really interesting to see how take-home pay is actually calculated!” Another pupil from the 3rd Year commented, “It’s great to learn something that we will actually use in real life. Now I understand what my parents mean when they talk about taxes!”

The introduction of Financial Education at this stage ensures pupils build a strong foundation in understanding personal finance before they encounter these responsibilities in adulthood. We look forward to further enhancing our curriculum to provide our pupils with more valuable life skills. This also includes the MiY Portfolio programme, which now runs as part of the existing curriculum from 3rd – 5th Year, focussing on many competencies and life skills, including law, politics, personal care and finance.