We were delighted to welcome Clare Cowan, Head of Parliamentary Affairs at the Bank of England, into school on Friday 8th February 2019.
Clare delivered a fascinating talk on the history of the Bank of England and its role. Clare talked about how the Bank of England prints and distributes all the bank notes in the UK. Clare handed our small packages and asked pupils to tell her what they were, they guessed straight away – shredded bank notes! The Bank of England is responsible for taking old notes out of circulation. The Bank of England recently consulted schools and other organisations regarding who should appear on the back of the new fifty-pound note.
Clare explained how the Bank of England manages the banking system that processes every single financial transaction that takes place in the UK. The Bank of England keeps the value of money stable; Clare talked about how the rates set by the Bank of England can affect people’s financial security and how the Bank of England keeps money secure. It was interesting to learn about gold stored beneath the Bank of England and the level of security when it is delivered!
The Bank of England employs over 4,000 people, based across the UK. Clare gave pupils an insight into her own journey to becoming Head of Parliamentary Affairs and detailed of her responsibilities, including interesting places her job has taken her, 10 Downing Street being one of them. Clare encouraged pupils to consider a career within the Bank of England and outlined the various roles within the organisation. At the end of the talk, Mr Baybutt, Assistant Headteacher spoke to pupils about how education creates opportunities. Pupils and staff thanked Clare for her valuable time, her talk was both interesting and inspiring.
Find out more about careers at The Bank of England https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/careers/early-careers
