Finance, Loans & IndependenceThe money side of post-18

Why this matters

Most Year 12s have heard 'student loan' but not seen the maths. This module makes student finance concrete: maintenance loan vs tuition loan, repayment thresholds, plan 5 (post-2023 students), monthly cashflow at uni vs apprenticeship, where to apply. Plus basic adulting (rent, bills, banking).

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson

I can explain student finance plan 5 in plain language

I can build a realistic monthly cashflow for my post-18 plan

I can describe three real-world adulting tasks (rent, banking, taxes)

ActivityActivity 1: Plan 5 walkthrough

On your own20 min

Explain plan 5: 9% over £25k threshold, 40-year term. Worked examples for typical exit salaries.

ActivityActivity 2: Cashflow build

On your own25 min

Build your own monthly cashflow at uni or in a degree apprenticeship. Income, rent, food, transport, social. Plug the gap?

ActivityActivity 3: Adulting basics

Whole class15 min

Quick walkthrough: opening a current account, council tax, rent contracts, payslips. Two real questions to ask parents.

Success criteria

How we'll know it worked

Personal cashflow planner completed

Student finance plan 5 quiz passed

Chapter Student Game

Action

Save your post-18 cashflow plan to Chapter

Skills: Planning, Problem Solving

Save your monthly cashflow plan + finance quiz score to Chapter as Y12 evidence.

What's next

Use the official UCAS / Student Finance England calculator. Don't sugar-coat - but don't catastrophise either.