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Topical Tuesdays: Tax and Spend - Key Stage 2 News Story and Reading and Writing Activity Sheet from The Week Junior

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On 26 September, the value of the British pound fell to a record low after Kwasi Kwarteng, the new Chancellor, revealed the details of the new Government’s mini-budget on 23 September. This resources pack includes an article from The Week Junior magazine, along with a sheet of activities designed to get children thinking, talking and writing about what the story means to them.

Oracy

The changes in the tax rates were welcomed by some and criticised by others. Few people enjoy paying tax but does that make it a bad thing? Shouldn’t we just accept that tax is the fairest way to pay for all those services that make society work? Or would it be better for everyone to keep every penny they earn and decide for themselves how it is spent? Wouldn’t it be fairer for people without children not to pay for schools and those without cars not to pay for roads, for example? What do you think?

Writing skills

One of the effects of the Chancellor’s actions was that the value of the pound fell sharply. But how would you buy a pound? Write a short, humerous playscript about someone going into a shop and asking to buy a pound.

OR

Write an advertisement for the pound, trying to convince people that it really is the best sort of money to have. Remember to use a clever headline, persuasive language and possibly an image.

Investigate

Think about a typical day at home. List all the things that you get for free, such as food, clean clothes and electricity, that you would probably have to pay for if you weren’t being looked after by your parents or carers. Challenge: can you estimate how much each one costs per day for what you use?

Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download in our Topical Tuesdays collection.

What is The Week Junior?

The Week Junior magazine looks at current affairs and helps children make sense of the world, provides context and clarity to complex issues, improves general knowledge and encourages discussion and debate.

To find out more about The Week Junior and to download its free resources, please go to The Week Junior website.



  • News story
  • Activities sheet
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