PwC to give tax lessons to 50 London sixth formers

Around 50 sixth-form students attending various London schools have been invited to Big 4 firm PwC’s offices to get lessons about taxation in a pilot project.

The new initiative, aimed at encouraging learning all about tax from a young age, uses interactive sessions and games to give students a grounding in the subject.

The purpose of tax

Discussions will include topics such as the purpose of tax, what the main taxes are and how policy dilemmas present a wide range of challenges to governments.

Head of tax at PwC, Kevin Nicholson, explained: "Our consultations with citizens across the spectrum on improving the tax system have revealed a big appetite for more education on tax. If people are expected to pay tax, they want to be clear on the policies and the principles behind the levies."

The firm's own research has shown that when people understand the reasons behind a taxation policy, they are less likely to object to specific taxes. This basic idea is a big focus of PwC's 'Paying for Tomorrow' tax reform campaign.

Two-year programme

The sixth formers are taking part in PwC Classroom, which is a two year programme aimed at 16 and 17 year old students attending schools in disadvantaged areas.

Skills that are targeted include presentation and interview techniques, as well as a more general introduction to the professional business world.

"Today is just one step towards improving tax education, but it’s a start. We’re keen to share the materials and learning experiences more widely and see what more we can do to engage young people in tax," Nicholson added.