LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - Children will be taught how to manage their money and save for a pension under a shake-up of education for 11-16 year olds due to be unveiled on Thursday.

From September 2008, secondary school pupils will learn about "economic well-being" as well as topics such as global warming and Britishness in the first major revamp of the curriculum since 2000.

The new curriculum, to be listed in detail on Thursday, is designed to offer schools more flexibility and contains less prescribed subject content.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said there would still be "rigorous concentration on traditional subject knowledge".

Schools Secretary Ed Balls said it was essential that children were taught the financial skills they would need as adults.

"They need to understand everyday issues like opening a bank account, buying a house and saving for their retirement as early as possible, developing a sense of responsibility as citizens," he said.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority hopes that teachers will be able to use the flexibility offered in the new syllabus to engage pupils who are disruptive or play truant.

"Each school now has the opportunity to design and build its own locally designed curriculum that matches the ethos of the school," it said.

Teachers' leaders have welcomed the greater freedom in the curriculum and pleaded with ministers not to reduce it by issuing further education initiatives.

"Ministers must resist the temptation to add more statutory topics, trusting schools to teach the curriculum appropriate for pupils in their area," said John Dunford of the Association of School and College Leaders.

Consultation on the reforms, first unveiled in February, was completed in April ahead of Thursday's launch.