This Unit has 3 sections designed to cover work in either Yr 7,8 and 9 or as a self contained Consumer Education package deliverable as an intense experience.

This unit has been developed by Cambridgeshire County Council Trading Standards Service in conjunction with Cambridgeshire PSHE Service and all necessary teaching notes and activities can be accessed via the Ask Cedric website.

Unit 1 - Consumers and Traders in my Community
Students will think about how shopping has developed over time and look at the advantages and disadvantages of the different shops that exist.

Students will also look at the types of shops that exist in their own locality and their significance to local people and will also examine the alternative methods of shopping that now exist.

Unit 2 - Consumer Choice and Expectation
Students will look at the difference between needs and wants and will think about the different factors that they take into account when deciding where to shop and what to buy. They will learn about the different places they can find pre-shopping advice and will also examine the power of advertising and learn about the controls that exist on misleading information.

Students will learn about what influences how we spend or save money and how to become competent at managing personal money in a range of situations including those beyond their immediate experience. This includes learning about how local and central government is financed and about social and moral dilemmas around the use of money including how choices they make as consumers affect other people.

Unit 3 - Ethical Consumerism
Students will undertake their own research work to learn more about different areas of ethical consumerism. They will look at the different ethical factors that can be taken into account when going shopping and also the impact of certain products on the environment.

Students will also start to examine the effects of tourism on different countries and will look at the different meanings of fair trade as well as the initiatives that exist to promote fair trading.

All these Units address the following aspects of the key stage 3 Citizenship programme of study:

Knowledge and Understanding about becoming informed Citizens
Pupils should be taught about:

1b the diversity of national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding

1f the work of community-based, national and international voluntary groups

1h the significance of the media in society

Developing skills of enquiry and communication
Pupils should be taught to:

2a think about topical, political, spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues, problems and events by analysing information and its sources, including ICT based sources

2b justify orally and in writing a personal opinion about such issues, problems or events

2c contribute to group and exploratory class discussions and take part in debates

Developing skills of participation and responsible action
Pupils should be taught to:

3a use their imagination to consider other people's experiences and be able to think about, express and explain views that are not their own

3b negotiate, decide and take part responsibly in both school and community-based activities

3c reflect on the process of participation

At the end of KS3,

Most pupils will have an awareness of the different ways in which we can shop and understand the factors that they need to consider before making a purchase. They will also have a basic understanding of the ethical issues that exist and how they affect the decisions that consumers make.

Some pupils will not have made so much progress but: will have some understanding of the different ways in which they can shop and will find some difficulty with the range of ethical considerations when making a purchase. An awareness that a range of pre-shopping advice and information is available will help these students.

Some pupils will have progressed further and have a clear understanding of the ways in which people shop and the ethical considerations that can arise. They will be able to undertake pre-shopping research for themselves or others using the wide range of materials that exist.

They will be able to think clearly and articulate their views and have an ability to make informed and wise purchasing decisions and recommendations to others.

It is helpful if pupils have:

• Experience of speaking in front of others
  
• Experience of small groups work
  
• Individual and groups research
  
• Knowledge of how to gather information from books, articles and from the internet
  
• The ability to critically evaluate literature
  

These Units will offer opportunities to introduce/reinforce the following Speaking and Listening learning objectives

Speaking

• Reviewing their strengths and limitations when speaking to different audiences and in different contexts
• Present a talk which holds the attention of an unfamiliar audience

Listening

• Identify the underlying themes, implications and issues raised by a talk
• Recognise how people use language to signal their status or to exert power over others

These units will offer opportunities to introduce/reinforce the following Text Level learning objectives

Writing

• Integrate diverse kinds of information into a coherent account using formal and impersonal language
• Explain complex processes and ideas effectively and economically in print and on screen
• Present a personal view with clarity and conviction
• Use persuasive techniques and rhetoric to gain the attention and influence the responses of readers

Reading

• Collate and synthesise information from a range of sources of shaping material to meet the reader's needs
• Evaluate the presentation, reliability and validity of information available through print, ICT and other media sources
• Explore the ways the nature and the purpose of media products can influence presentation, content and meaning and how audiences reactions may vary

This Unit has clear links to other subjects within the wider curriculum, including:

• Citizenship
  
• PSHE
  
• Maths
  
• History
  
• ICT
  
• Geography
  
• Economics
  

'Ask Cedric' provides links to all the resources that you will need to teach this Unit.

Every suggested teaching area on the teaching plan is linked to:

Teaching Notes
Suggested Teaching Activities
Suitable materials on other websites

You may also wish to speak to your own local Trading Standards Department for help and advice on Consumer Education. You can find your local office in the telephone directory or by typing in your School's postcode on the Trading Standards Institute website.

Education for financial capability through personal finance education contributes to consumer education by enabling students to:

• make independent and informed decisions about budgeting, spending, saving, investing, using credit and obtaining value for money
  
• understand their own and other's needs and to consider the effects of their decisions on individuals, groups, families and communities.

Financial capability encompasses three interrelated themes

• financial knowledge and understanding is about helping young people to understand the concept of money;
  
• financial skills and competence is very much concerned with day-to-day money management and thinking about planning for the future;
  
• financial responsibility is about the wider impact of money and personal financial decisions.

The DfES and QCA have identified the teaching of personal finance to develop financial capability as an important aspect of the PSHE and Citizenship framework at all key stages. Additional guidance is given in Financial Capability through Personal Finance Education: Guidance for Key stage 3 and 4. The publication outlines the place of financial capability in the whole school curriculum, identifies what it might look like at each key stage and suggests the best methods for delivering.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA)
The FSA has a statutory duty to promote understanding of the financial system, a responsibility that includes pupils and students as well as adults. The aim is to provide individuals with the knowledge, aptitude and skills necessary to become questioning and informed consumers of financial services and manage their finances effectively. To be successful in meeting this objective it is crucial to work with teachers in order to help young people improve their financial capability as part of their preparation for adult life.

The FSA supports the work of teachers through:

• educational resources
  
• web site - www.fsa.gov.uk/consumer/teaching
  
• free fact sheets and booklets

For more information contact Steve Stillwell
Tel: 020 7676 4516
e.mail: steve.stillwell@fsa.gov.uk

Personal Finance Education Group (pfeg)
Pfegs's goal is to promote and facilitate education of all UK school pupils about financial matters so they can make independent and informed decisions about their personal finances and long term security. www.pfeg.org lists teaching resources by age and key stage and shows how each is linked to the curriculum. The pfeg Quality Mark for recommended teaching resources a is designed to raise standards and enable teachers to feel confident about the educational relevance of teaching resources.