Bank of England joins Dennis the Menace for kids project

Image copyright Beano Studios

Dennis the Menace will soon be teaching children about debt, spending and how supply and demand affects prices.

The Beano rascal and several comic book friends have teamed up with the Bank of England for a 12-lesson course about financial literacy.

Money and Me is aimed at children aged 5-11, and will be launched for schools in England, Scotland and Wales in July.

Bank Governor Andrew Bailey said he hoped it would help teachers instil confidence about using money.

The initiative, also backed by Tes, the former Times Educational Supplement, will be included in PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) curriculums.

Mr Bailey said financial literacy was «essential for everyone».

«The Bank’s education programme is central to our role in equipping the public with sufficient financial and economic knowledge for their daily lives.

«It will support teachers in giving young people a strong sense of the importance of economic and financial decisions from an early age.»

The Money and Me primary school material will include lesson plans, videos, games and worksheets.

There have been growing calls for schools to teach personal finance and money management amid concerns about the pressures on young people to spend.

The Bank has already launched a money resource for secondary schools, EconoMe, which has been downloaded by almost 2,000 schools.

Beano Studios, the company that owns the Beano comic, already runs online courses for children on reading, emotional literacy and resilience.

Chief executive Emma Scott said: «Beano has been engaging children for more than 80 years, and we love bringing that experience to the classroom.

«Our Beano for Schools programme translates complex topics into entertaining and engaging content for both kids and teachers and we’ve had fun producing these unique financial literacy lessons so kids can enjoy learning about money and gain necessary life skills.»