Following the trail from political discourse to curriculum reform: Reflecting on the shape of financial capability education in England

Abstract

This chapter traces the history and political interests that fostered the espousal of a place for financial capability in the school curriculum in England. Through an analysis of policy discourse, I explore some explanations for the presence and shape of financial capability education. Policy discourse extracts were compiled for analysis from a search for the terms 'financial literacy', 'financial capability' or 'financial education' in Hansard, the Official Report of the proceedings of the British Parliament. The analysis covers the time period (2004-2005) just before the first stand-alone financial capability qualification for young people (16+) was introduced in England. The analysis examines each of the four reform debates (trust fund, education, credit card and pensions reforms) in which financial capability was mentioned and reflects on how the situated meanings and cultural models expressed in the discourse were used to build a case for financial capability education in England.