News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 02 September 2009
NAT 56/09
With schools across the country getting ready for the new school
year, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is urging teachers to
log onto its new, free online resource for teachers – Tax Matters.
Specifically designed for Personal, Social, Health and Economic
education (PSHE), Business Studies and Citizenship teachers of
pupils aged 11-19, the Tax Matters resource contains three new
teaching modules, to help secondary school pupils gain an
understanding of how tax is raised, what the main taxes are, and
what they ultimately pay for.
The three modules – which cover Income Tax, National Insurance,
and Tax and Society –use fun, interactive features such as videos,
quizzes and games, as well as key facts and figures, to help
teachers bring the subject to life in the classroom.
There are also accompanying, ready-made lesson plans for each
module available online, for both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4
pupils – all packed with ideas for using Tax Matters with students.
All of the materials are available free by visiting www.taxmatters.hmrc.gov.uk.
You can also find them on the Personal Finance Education Group
(pfeg) website at www.pfeg.org/teaching_resources/resources/tax_matters.html,
where they have been awarded the pfeg quality mark.
HMRC’s Caroline Smith said:
“By the end of the modules, students will be well equipped to
understand what tax is all about. They’ll be clear why we pay tax
in the first place, and what it means for them on a practical
level, such as why it’s important to keep hold of their National
Insurance number and how to understand their tax code.
“Tax Matters was developed with the help of teachers, and so
reflects what they need on the ground. It’s interactive, fun and
free to download, so we’d urge anyone teaching financial education
this year to give it a try.”
Notes to Editors
1. Tax Matters is part of a three-year, Department for Children,
Schools and Families (DCSF) programme called My Money – being put
in place by the DCSF to help teachers deliver financial education.
2. The Head of Business and Economics at London’s Mill Hill
County High School was seconded to HMRC for six months to help
develop and produce the Tax Matters material.
3. Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education will
become a statutory part of the curriculum from 2011.
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press
Office
Press enquiries only please contact:
Contacts:
HMRC Out of Hours
Phone: 07860 359544
NDS.HMRC@coi.gsi.gov.uk