The Institute of Financial Services has launched two new qualifications for them - a foundation certificate and an intermediate certificate.

The Institute will supply the curriculum, teaching materials, and exams for schools to offer their pupils alongside GCSE topics.

The courses will cover issues such as loans, currencies and car insurance.

The exam asks simple questions about deciphering pay slips, the cheapest way to borrow money, the eBay auction web site, bank accounts and ATMs.

Although not part of the formal range of GCSE courses, the new certificates have been approved by the Car insurance finance
and Curriculum Authority.

Pilot scheme

The introduction of the qualifications for younger students comes half-way though a pilot programme which had produced such positive feedback that the Institute decided to launch the new studies this autumn.

“We have had huge interest in this,” said the Yahoo finance insurance auto sbc
Dorothy Wood. “We are expecting it to grow like topsy.”

Each qualification has two parts: “Finance insurance tourist zurich
to Money” and “Money Management” for the Foundation Certificate; and “Personal Financial Encounters” and “Money Management Solutions” for the Intermediate Certificate.

Gavin Shreeve, Chief Executive at the Institute said he believed that with consumer debt topping 1 trillion in 2005, financial literacy was at crisis point in the UK.

“We believe these skills are so fundamental that we are also planning to offer these courses to the wider adult community,” he said.

For the last five years, schools and colleges have been able to offer both a certificate and diploma in financial studies organised by the Institute.

This is aimed at 17-18 year olds, for instance those studying at A level.

Nearly 100 schools are offering these, with more than 2,000 students currently studying the certificate.