Currency Basics

Overview

In this first lesson of “Mastering Money Matters”, students will explore UK currency in practical contexts. They will learn to identify coins and notes, use correct vocabulary (pounds and pence), and relate values to amounts in everyday transactions.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• recognise and identify UK notes and coins and their values
• use correct vocabulary for money amounts, including pounds (£) and pence (p)
• estimate and represent money amounts up to £10 using different representations (coins, notes, pictures, and number forms)
• solve simple, practical number problems involving money

Success criteria

Students can:

• I can name common coins and notes and say what each is worth
• I can write money amounts correctly using £ and p (e.g., £3.50, 50p)
• I can show an amount in two different ways (e.g., using coins or notes)
• I can choose the correct coins/notes to make a given amount

Curriculum links

• Number — number and place value: identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations
• Measurement: add and subtract amounts of money to give change, using both £ and p in practical contexts
• Number — number and place value: read and write numbers up to 1000 in numerals and in words (applies when stating totals, e.g., “four pounds fifty pence”)
• Number — number and place value: recognise the place value of each digit in a three-digit number (used when discussing pence totals, e.g., counting tens/ones of pence)

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (real-life money). Teacher shows a “shop display” tray with a few coins/notes and asks what they notice; students do a quick think-pair-share and then share 1 observation.
2. 5–15 min · Direct teach (currency vocabulary and values). Teacher models how UK currency is written and spoken: “pence” for values under £1, “pounds” for whole pounds, and “£x and y p”; students repeat key phrases and match coins/notes to value cards.
3. 15–25 min · Guided practice (make an amount). Teacher gives a target amount (e.g., 50p, £2, £3.20) and demonstrates one way to make it; students work in pairs to select the coins/notes from their sets and build the amount. Teacher circulates, prompting correct vocabulary (“That’s 3 pounds and 20 pence”).
4. 25–33 min · Represent and compare (two ways). Teacher shows two different representations for the same total (e.g., 70p as 50p+20p and 20p+20p+20p+10p) using pictures or cards; students choose another way for a new target amount and explain how they know it matches.
5. 33–40 min · Practical problem solving (quick transactions). Teacher presents 3 short “buying” scenarios on the board (no change yet): a child picks an item cost and students decide which coins/notes should pay exactly (e.g., “A sticker costs 60p. Which coins pay exactly?”). Students vote with mini-whiteboards and justify using the vocabulary learned.
6. 40–45 min · Exit ticket (check understanding). Students complete a short worksheet: identify 3 coins/notes and write 2 money amounts (one under £1 in pence, one with pounds and pence). Teacher collects for marking.

Resources

• Coin and note sets (teacher and student) including common UK coins and notes (at least 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2; optionally include 5p/10p emphasis)
• Value cards for quick matching (e.g., 50p, £2, £3 and 20p)
• Mini-whiteboards and pens
• Scenario cards (3 short “shop” prompts with exact-payment targets)
• Student worksheet for exit ticket (identify and write amounts)
• Display board with a “£ / p” money vocabulary chart

Assessment

• Observe pair work: correct identification of coins/notes and accurate use of “pence” and “pounds”
• Check mini-whiteboard votes during transaction questions for correct totals and reasoning
• Mark exit tickets for: correct naming, correct writing of amounts (including £ and p), and correct mapping from value to representation

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide a word bank on desks (“pence”, “pounds”, “£1”, “20p”, “50p”, “and … p”)
• Use number lines or ten-frames for pence counting when needed (e.g., counting in 10p jumps)
• Allow students to match coins/notes first, then write the value after teacher verification
• Challenge:
• Ask some students to find two different ways to make the same amount and explain their method using vocabulary
• Include an extra target involving exchanging mentally within the lesson scope (e.g., replace five 1p with one 5p, without formal subtraction of change yet)
• EAL/SEN considerations:
• Use consistent sentence starters: “I can see ___ pence / ___ pounds.” “It equals ___.”
• Keep language visual with £ and p symbols and colour-coded coin values to reduce cognitive load