Is discussion of money worries and school funding normal in primary school

[aliumbear]

Child has often come back home from school with worries about money and it turns out these conversations have been going on in school where teachers have been talking about the cost of things and how some people can't afford things I am not sure if it is part of a lesson is this part of the curriculum in primary school. They've come back home from school saying that at assembly the head teacher was also mentioning they've had funding for new school playground equipment and asking the children what it should be spent on. I don't feel they should be worrying themself about this as children.

Well that's two completely different things.

Yes, children should be aware of others that are less (and more) fortunate than they are.

Also normal to get children's ideas about how they want to spend PTA (I assume) money. Same way that schools have school councils etc.

Normal and good. My 7yo knows all of this.

I mean this genuinely but I’m struggling to see what your issue with any of this is?

Same.

OP how old is your child and why shouldn’t they learn about money, including lack of it?

Both would be normal in my kids’ schools.

Not normal in my kids school, I think they're all aware of how expensive everything is and understand that some things just aren't affordable or not in the short term, but I don't expect them to come home worried or anxious about school funding, surely that's for the grown ups to figure out.

‘they've had funding for new school playground equipment and asking the children what it should be spent’

How would this make anyone anxious? They’ve raised money and are asking how the pupils how to spend it. Schools are always raising money for stuff, my DD1 comes home and tells me they are raising money to buy new dyslexia pens or whatever it is, they run tuck shops and school enterprise events to raise money, that sort of stuff.

Probably increasingly normal.

But as their parent you can put things in perspective and relieve their worries. That’s what we do.

It is fine for children to know about how some families struggle financially. I don't see a problem with that.

The conversation about the school playground equipment is also fine. The staff are not asking the children to take on board school funding issues, but simply asking them how existing money might best be spent in ways that they would enjoy the most.

The world has worrying things in it. It’s your job as a parent to teach your child how to cope with this and remain mentally well while these things exist, not shelter them from every possible worry.

These are both normal topics, and by the time your kid gets to school they’re old enough to notice that different people can afford different things.

I think it’s a good thing getting children in discussions about the best way to spend funding they’ve got for something nice! They’re not talking about buying work books and glue sticks, it’s about playground equipment. Kids love having a say in that sort of thing!
I also think it’s fine to have discussions at school around how some people have more than others, and that it’s good to be aware of that.

Completely normal, for example at harvest festival they collect food to send to the local food bank for those who are struggling. Even at nursery they put together shoe box presents, so the children are introduced to the idea (even if they don't really get it) that not everyone can afford to just buy things at an early age.

No harm there - they're learning about social responsibility, empathy, not assuming that they all have everything they want and they're getting to influence decisions about something that affects them.

I agree children shouldn't come home worried about school funding.
But that's not what's happening at OP's school.

The only discussion linked to school funding is how to spend money that they've been allocated for playground equipment. Why would that make them worried?