Topics taught in secondary schools

WQ.431/2024

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING

BY DEPUTY M.B. ANDREWS OF ST HELIER NORTH

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 2nd DECEMBER 2024

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 9th DECEMBER 2024

Question

"Will the Minister advise –

1. which, if any, of the following topics are taught in secondary schools –

1. private debt management;
2. Jersey's tax system;
3. the States Assembly;
4. the structure of Government;
5. running a business;
6. Social Security; and

2. whether discussions have been held with the Heads of the Island's Secondary Schools and the Curriculum Council regarding the importance of children leaving school with an understanding of these subjects; and, if not, why not?"

Answer(a)

The specific topics are embedded within the statutory curriculum for Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) and Citizenship. Although it is up to schools how they design and deliver their curriculum, based on the needs and interests of the pupils, the following relevant topics are required.

The statutory PSHE and Citizenship Curriculum at Key Stage 3 (KS3) and Key Stage 4 (KS4) requires schools to teach:

1. private debt management

• the economic and business environment, how personal financial choices can affect oneself and others
• income and expenditure, credit and debt, insurance, savings and pensions, financial products and services,

2. Jersey's tax system
   1. how public money is raised and spent
3. the States Assembly

• the nature of rules and laws and the justice system, including the role of the police and the operation of courts and tribunals
• the legal system in Jersey, different sources of law and how the law helps society deal with complex problems
• the development of the political system of democratic government in Jersey and the United Kingdom, including the roles of citizens, the States Chamber, the Island's Relationship with the monarch
• the operation of the States Chamber, including voting and elections, and the role of politicians, including Deputies, Constables and non-elected States members
• the different electoral systems used in and beyond Jersey and actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond

4. the structure of Government

• the development of the political system of democratic government in Jersey and the United Kingdom, including the roles of citizens, the States Chamber, the Island's Relationship with the monarch
• the operation of the States Chamber, including voting and elections, and the role of politicians, including Deputies, Constables and non-elected States members
• the different electoral systems used in and beyond Jersey and actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond
• parliamentary democracy and the key elements of the constitution of the Island of Jersey, including the power of government, the role of citizens and the States in holding those in power to account, and the different roles of the executive, legislature and judiciary and a free press

5. running a business

• how to make informed choices and be enterprising and ambitious
• about the economic and business environment

6. social security

• income and expenditure, credit and debt, insurance, savings and pensions, financial products and services, and how public money is raised and spent.

The PSHE KS3 and KS4 non-statutory guidance document provides more support for schools in this area. The key theme of Living in the Wider World' includes the following relevant, recommended content:

• management, decision-making and creativity
• how to challenge stereotypes, and the importance of having high career aspirations
• an awareness of ethical and unethical business practices, including dishonest schemes such as phishing and fraud
• knowledge of good financial management habits, and the skills to manage personal saving, spending and budgeting challenges
• information about inflation, tax, and social security from a personal perspective
• an awareness of investment and consumerism
• basic information about different types of pensions and insurance and why these are important
• information about employment, self-employment, and voluntary work
• the development of democratic government in Jersey,
• the political system in Jersey, including the difference between the States Assembly and the Government
• the differences between independent members and the political parties in Jersey
• the political system in the United Kingdom, including Parliament and the political parties
• information about different forms of government across the world including dictatorship, monarchy, presidential system
• a knowledge of the roles of citizens in democratic government, including voting age, how to register to vote and why we should vote
• the operation of the States Chamber, including voting and elections, and the role of politicians, including, deputies, constables, and non-elected states members
• knowledge of the actions citizens can take to engage with and influence their democracy on a local, national, and international level.
• local, regional, and international governance and Jersey's relations with the rest of Europe, the
• Commonwealth, the United Nations, and the wider world
• the island's relationship with the monarch as Sovereign and Jersey's position as a Crown Dependency
• the key elements of the constitution of the Island, including the free press and the States of Jersey
• holding those in power to account, and the roles of the Lieutenant Governor, the Dean of Jersey, the Bailiff , and the Attorney General
• the nature of rules and laws and the justice system, including the role of the police and the operation of courts and tribunals
• the legal system in Jersey including the different courts and the requirement to participate in jury duty

• the functions and uses of money
• the importance and practice of budgeting
• information about financial products and services (for example bank accounts, contents insurance) and how to plan ahead
• how to make appropriate financial choices, including the costs of various methods of borrowing (for example, credit cards, arranged loans, overdrafts)
• how to manage risk-taking behaviour avoiding unmanageable debt

(b)

The curriculum for PSHE (including Citizenship) is a regular item for discussion on the agenda for Curriculum Council. The importance of this is reflected in the revised Jersey School Review Framework which places the evaluations of PSHE including Citizenship as a significant factor in the evaluation of curriculum provision:

"As part of making the judgement about the Curriculum, Teaching & Learning, reviewers will need to consider the extent to which schools are equipping pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. Our understanding of knowledge and cultural capital' is derived from the following wording within the Jersey Curriculum for PSHE including Citizenship: "The Jersey curriculum of PSHE including Citizenship aims to ensure that all pupils:

• acquire accurate and relevant knowledge enabling them to recognise, accept and shape their identities
• access opportunities to explore, clarify and if necessary challenge, their own and others' values, attitudes, beliefs, rights and responsibilities
• acquire the skills, language and strategies they need in order to live healthy, safe, fulfilling, responsible and balanced lives within the community of Jersey."

Updated non-statutory guidance for the KS3 and KS4 PSHE curriculum has been approved and launched this year by the Curriculum Council following feedback received from the Jersey Youth Parliament.