The Cumberland Building Society is extending its financial education programme for primary school children after reaching more than 1,000 pupils during its first term.

The mutual has renewed its partnership with community interest company FutureJam, with a further 34 MoneyJam workshops due to take place across Cumbria, Lancashire and south-west Scotland.

The programme is aimed at children aged seven to 11 and uses practical exercises to introduce topics including budgeting, saving and distinguishing between wants and needs.

More than 1,000 children at 26 primary schools took part between March and August, with Cumberland staff volunteering in classrooms. Teachers were also given training intended to allow schools to continue financial education beyond the workshops.

One of the exercises asks pupils to organise a school party within a fixed budget, requiring them to decide what they can afford, which items to leave out and how much money to retain as savings.

The latest phase will extend the geographical reach of MoneyJam, including its first session in Scotland at Eastriggs. Further teacher training and sessions for parents are also planned.

The partnership is scheduled to continue until the 2027 summer term.

Claire Deekes, chief customer officer at The Cumberland Building Society, said: “Learning about money at a young age is one of the most valuable things we can provide children with. The confidence to budget, to make decisions, to understand the difference between what you want and what you can actually afford, these are skills that stay with you for life.

“We’re proud to bring these workshops to more schools this year. The feedback from children, teachers and parents has been genuinely heartening, and we know how much it matters to get this right early.”

Florence Tewson, FutureJam founder, said: “Normalising conversations about money means a new generation of young people will feel far more comfortable making financial decisions. These are transferable life skills that will serve them in every area of their lives.”

The Cumberland operates 31 branches across Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland and south-west Scotland. MoneyJam forms part of the building society’s wider financial inclusion and community investment activity.