Year 9
IN THIS LESSON
National
Curriculum
Links
In this lesson students will explore how ratio and proportion reveal the story behind a budget, showing not just what someone spends but what they value . They will work with fixed and variable costs, calculate surpluses and deficits, and use savings to income ratios to judge financial habits. They will examine needs and wants through the 50 30 20 model and test how realistic it is for different people. Through practical group tasks they will reshape budgets, model alternative choices and see how shifting one number can change an entire financial picture. By the end students understand budgeting as a mix of maths, priorities and future planning.
Maths:
PSHE:
This lesson supports the National Curriculum for Mathematics by enabling pupils to solve problems using ratio and proportion in financial contexts, including expressing savings to income and needs to wants as ratios. Pupils calculate surplus and deficit, compare budgets against proportional models such as 50:30:20, and solve problems where values are unknown by adjusting spending while income remains fixed. Mathematical reasoning is applied to interpret priorities and evaluate the sustainability of different budget structures.
This lesson supports PSHE by helping pupils understand how people make financial decisions and manage money in a variety of situations, including budgeting and saving. Pupils explore how income, expenditure and savings reflect personal priorities, assess how financial choices affect future security, and develop strategies to adapt budgets when circumstances change. The lesson reinforces that effective money management requires planning, flexibility and informed decision making.