Children will be taught about tax in schools in Wales from Spring 2018.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has joined with a university to enable trainee teachers to deliver a programme on the facts of tax to school children.

More than 200 trainee teachers, studying at the University of South Wales (USW), will be trained to teach ‘Junior Tax Facts’ to primary school children in English and Welsh-medium schools. The education programme for young people was developed by HMRC and is available for schools to use, free of charge.

HMRC will deliver the awareness sessions to the trainee teachers based at USW’s Newport Campus, over the next academic year.

‘Junior Tax Facts’ offers an introduction to tax for 8 to 11 year-olds. The programme aims to help young children understand where the money comes from that pays for all the things that are essential to them, their families and communities – like local transport, the police, doctors and their school.

Maureen Pamplin, Head of Sustainability at HMRC, said:

We are excited about this new initiative and keen that it will be replicated in other universities across the country. We worked closely with teachers to develop this material and the University of South Wales is now leading the way in helping teachers to take it into the classroom, so that children understand what tax is, how the money is used and the link with vital public services. HMRC, Maureen Pamplin

Jordan Allers, USW lecturer in Primary Studies, said:

Making sure our undergraduates appreciate the important role teachers play in giving youngsters an understanding of the world beyond the classroom is a vital part of what we do here at USW. University of South Wales, Jordan Allers

‘Tax Facts’ for 11 to 14 year-olds, will be available in Welsh in Spring 2018.