Engaging Financial Lessons and Unit Standards at Inglewood High

Angela Hayes

Angela Hayes

Teacher In Charge, Financial Literacy

Inglewood High School is a small co-educational Year 9 to 13 college situated in the rural heartland of Taranaki, New Zealand. The school is dedicated to offering a comprehensive education that prepares students for the practical aspects of life. As part of this mission, it offers a Financial Capability course designed to equip students with essential financial literacy skills, whilst ensuring senior students achieve their required NZQA credits. Banqer has played an integral part in this popular course since its launch four years ago. Angela Hayes, Teacher in Charge of Financial Literacy, discusses Banqer’s role in the success of the programme.

photograph of the inglewood high school grounds. there is a lush field in the foreground, school buildings in the middle ground and mt taranaki in the background

The Inception of the Financial Capability Programme

The Financial Capability programme is an option offered across Years 10 to 13. In Years 10 and 11, the course is run over two terms, and in Years 12 and 13, over one term. Angela has led the programme since its establishment: “Although an English teacher, I have a background in banking and feel passionately about the importance of financial education. Four years ago, we reviewed our Year 12 provision, and I saw an opportunity to pilot a Financial Literacy course.”

At that time, although the Ministry of Education was promoting financial education in schools, support was limited,  There were some free resources around, but I was keen to introduce a practical element.

I felt I could talk about insurance and my own experience, but that the students wouldn’t really take the lessons on board until they were in the midst of an event themselves and dealing with the fallout. Banqer provides that real-life experience.

two students in a classroom. the students are sitting at a desk with a laptop computer

Effortless Alignment to the Curriculum and National Standards

The pilot was a success and the course was opened up to Years 10, 11 and 13. Angela and her team appreciated how straightforward Banqer was to use, and how Banqer aligned to the curriculum and New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA)’s financial standards,

Banqer covers banking, credit, budgeting, insurance, and managing income at different life stages, all of which align exactly to the curriculum.

It also mapped to the high school’s Employment Pathway’s course: “These students use Banqer to learn about writing a CV, taxation, renting property and so on. Banqer provides an engaging way of teaching so many of the important life skills that we want our students to understand before they leave school.”

Part of the appeal of the Financial Capability Programme and Banqer is that the course is not just a pass or fail but is a means to achieve excellence and endorsements at senior levels. “This means we also attract some of the more academic students, and can prepare them for the financial realities of further study.”

To see an example of how Inglewood High School have mapped Banqer to their programme of learning, click here.

The Impact of Banqer within the Programme

For Angela, Banqer is what makes the financial lessons hit home and she provides a couple of examples particularly pertinent to students growing up in Taranaki:

We are a small rural community and when my Year 11s choose a career in Banqer, many of the girls opt for dairy farmer and many of the boys choose athlete. Once Banqer throws a few curve balls such as injuries the discussion around risk and planning for risk have been fascinating.

three students sitting in a classroom. the students are on laptop computers. one student is talking to her teacher who is standing behind them

“My Year 12s meanwhile are thinking about further study, which in this remote part of New Zealand often involves living away from home and paying for accommodation and travel. In Banqer, a few students struggled to gain traction after being saddled with their student loans. That instigated lots of conversation about the importance of having a solid career plan if you are heading away to uni, especially now the free tuition fees have shifted to the final, rather than first, year of study.”

“For me, Banqer makes the intangible, tangible. It provides the students with insight into the real world, checking in every day to get paid, paying your rent, managing the unexpected, and planning for your future. It adds another layer to my classes, making them engaging, interactive and meaningful, as well as providing the level of detailed information required for academic rigour. There are excellent worksheets, lesson plans and guides to support the programme, meaning you can go as deep as you like, all the way up to the requirements of Year 13.”



a student in a classroom with a laptop computer on a desk. the laptop is running the banqer app. the classroom teacher is standing behind the student.

An excerpt from Inglewood High School’s Programme of Learning

Year 11 Assessments Year 12 Asssessments Year 13 Assessements
US 24709: Produce a budget to manage personal finances
3 credits - Internal
US 28092: Analyse the effect of significant life events at different stages on personal financial income.
3 credits - Internal
US 28098: Evaluate options to increase personal income.
3 credits - Internal
US 28089: Demonstrate understanding of personal financial goal setting
3 credits - Internal
US 20893: Describe the financial responsibilities and consequences of tertiary study funding options.
3 Credits - Internal
US 28099: Evaluate credit options and select debt management strategies to manage personal finances.
3 credits - Internal
US 28087: Demonstrate knowledge of the effect of life stages on personal income
3 credits - Internal
US 28094: Produce a balanced household budget and adjust the budget to reflect changing financial circumstances.
3 Credits - Internal
US 28100: Develop a plan to achieve a long-term personal financial goal(s).
4 credits - Internal
US 28088: Describe credit and debt and their impacts on personal finances
3 credits - Internal
US 28096: Demonstrate understanding of insurance products for personal financial capability.
3 Credits - Internal
US 28103: Analyse and select personal financing options for purchasing a property.
4 credits - Internal
US 28090: Demonstrate knowledge of selected personal financial saving and investment options that provide financial benefits
3 credits - Internal
US 28097: Analyse and select banking products and services in relation to personal finances.
3 Credits - Internal
US 28104: Analyse the impact(s) of external factors on personal finances.
3 Credits - Internal
US 24697: Perform income-related calculations for personal finances
2 credits - Internal
US 24695: Explain taxation and other deductions relating to personal income.
2 Credits - Internal
US 12356: Demonstrate knowledge of consumer problems and ways to resolve them.
3 Credits - Internal
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