Our Early Years Centre is Banking on Lifelong Skills

The project was founded on a simple proposition: young children learn best when academic ideas connect with real life. Wellington's Early Years maths curriculum is already built on strong foundations like the UK Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, Singapore's CPA (Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract) approach and Shanghai's Variation Theory, of course, but our teachers wanted to take learning further.

Research, after all, has shown that financial habits like saving and spending begin forming between ages 0 and 7. This interactive project, therefore, plants the seeds of financial literacy right when it matters most.

The project centred on four core concepts: earning, spending, saving and giving. Instead of rote lessons, children learned these ideas through active participation. It was an immersive experience, complete with ticket machines, waiting areas, bank counters and even fully stocked supermarket shelves. Children became bank tellers, security guards, and cashiers, collaborating through role-play.

Pupils earned 'Wellington currency' by taking on classroom jobs, like greeting classmates at the door or keeping the classroom tidy. Every effort was acknowledged and compensated. The children also calculated prices and made consumer choices in our supermarket. They made deposits and withdrawals at the bank counter and learned about account balances. They then created original artworks for our annual Chinese New Year art auction, donating the proceeds to a school in Guangxi province. This contribution provided school supplies for the children there.

"We ensured every child had a role and a chance to present their experience," said Nina Li, Assistant Head of Early Years and project co-lead. The project nurtured not only maths skills, but also social-emotional growth, self-confidence and a sense of responsibility.

What do parents say about the project? 

Watch to learn more.