CHAPTER 9: A Sense of Values: Developing Financial Capability in Scottish School Curricula

Two issues greatly impact the development of financial capability in young people in Scotland. The first is teachers’ own levels of financial literacy and their abilities to develop realistic and relevant contexts for learning. The second is the global financial crisis that has exposed questionable values frameworks in our financial institutions while providing an impetus for reflection and debate in our schools on aspects of financial morality. This chapter seeks to outline an historical basis for Scotland’s unique approach to education, demonstrating values bases from within which Scottish policy makers and educators construct curricula. There is particular emphasis on financial education and some examples are provided of useful contexts for students’ development of and reflection upon values in financial matters.