Number Day

On Friday, Year 6 took part in a very exciting and eye-opening Number Day, where the children spent the whole day stepping into the shoes of adults during our Managing Money and Careers Day.
To begin the day, each child chose a career and explored what their working life might look like. They had to decide how many hours and days they would work each week and calculate their yearly salary. However, the biggest surprise for many came when they discovered that they also had to pay tax to the government — this was definitely not a popular part of the activity!
Once their tax had been deducted, the children worked out their monthly take-home wage. They were then faced with real-life financial decisions, including choosing a house, a car and paying essential bills such as gas, electricity, water and food shopping. For some, it was quite a wake-up call. A few children who initially chose a large, flashy detached house and a brand-new Range Rover quickly realised that they were left with only a few pounds to last the rest of the month.
It was fantastic to listen to the children debating which cars would be the most cost-efficient and discussing what they could realistically afford. One of the highlights of the day was seeing two pupils decide not to have a car at all and instead opt for a bus pass so that they could save money for luxury holidays!
Throughout the day, the children completed a range of mathematical activities linked to budgeting and money management. More importantly, they gained a valuable insight into what adult life can be like and the responsibilities that come with earning and spending money. The experience helped them understand that if they want nice things in life, they need to work hard to earn them — and that sometimes bigger is not always better.
It was a fantastic day filled with laughter, thoughtful discussions and plenty of real-life learning. The children learnt many important lessons and all commented on how much they enjoyed the experience.