Julian Knight BBC News Online Personal finance reporter

Teachers shouting at me to keep to the left while walking the corridors - perhaps.

A group of teenagers ready to extort my dinner money - I hoped not.

Instead, what I found when I joined the class of 16 and 17 year olds being taught personal finance and business were students interested in money and what managing it properly can do for them.

Bushy Meads School in Hertfordshire was the setting, a mixed ability comprehensive school which achieved technology status back in 2000.

Hot topics

The class of nine business studies students debated hot money topics such as credit cards and overdrafts with teacher Elaine Pinkus.

They are very interested in money and how managing it gives them something extra

Elaine Pinkus, teacher

Students asked when they could get their hands on a credit card or obtain a mortgage for their first home.

These teenagers may be in a hurry to join the adult world of home ownership and bank accounts.

But that does not mean that they are financial lambs to the slaughter, ready to be wooed into debt.

Instead, students seemed savvy to the fact that with money comes responsibility.

High interest

Most worked part time and obviously enjoyed spending their cash, judging by the designer clothes, jewellery and mobile phones on show.

"They are very interested in money and how managing it gives them something extra," teacher Elaine Pinkus told BBC News Online.

It seems student fascination does not begin and end with money matters. The realm of work was also a preoccupation.

"Students are switched on to their rights," Ms Pinkus said.

"I am often questioned about the national minimum wage or the working time directive."

Cash classes

Turning cash conscious kids into discerning adult consumers is the objective of teaching personal finance in schools.

Being in charge of your own business means that you are in control of your life and what you want to do

Bushy Mead student Liam Hall

Catch them young, empower the consumer from school age, and they will not fall pray to misselling is the idea.

In addition, it is hoped that school leavers switched on to personal finance will make adequate retirement provision, and will not have to rely on the state pension.

Good citizens

Personal finance lessons play a key part in the government's new citizenship course.

Students broke into groups to draw up a business plan

The course can lead to a GCSE qualification.

Pupils under age 14 are given basic lessons about bank accounts and mortgages.

Older pupils, though, are taught about the possible implications of the financial decisions they make.

The personal finance curriculum has been put together by the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) in consultation with the Personal Finance Education Group (PFEG).

Head start

High Street banks have played a major role in bringing personal finance into schools.

NatWest has been running projects in schools, including Bushey Meads, since 1995 - to date more than 270,000 students have been involved:

"Getting advice from parents, the bank and school about managing your incomings and outgoings as well as where to look for information on personal finance products, can give future students a real head start," Ian Villiers, NatWest communications manager, told BBC News Online.

Dinner-dance

Back at Bushy Mead, the pupils were split into two groups and asked to draw up a tender for a catering contract for a 100 person Christmas dinner-dance.

Through this course I have learned how to manage my money, it is a big advantage in life,

Scott Simmons, student, Bushy Mead

They had a notional �1,500 budget from which they would have to serve up a three course meal and turn a healthy profit.

Students asked sharp questions of their teacher, such as whether they needed a liquor licence if they serve wined with the meal and how many vegetarians were to be catered for.

The groups were given a deadline of two weeks when they would be expected to come up with a price, and put together a hi-tech laptop computer presentation.

Big ambitions

The Bushy Mead students seem to have caught the business bug and hope to become the Sir Richard Branson and Stelios Haji-Ioannou, of Easyjet fame, of tomorrow.

"Being in charge of your own business means that you are in control of your life and what you want to do," student Liam Hall told BBC News Online.

The pupils agreed that they were more likely to choose the best deal because they were taught personal finance.

"Through this course I have learned how to manage my money, it is a big advantage in life," student Scott Simmons said.