Philosophy

Vision

Excellence achieved through care, creativity and challenge.

Intent

Our curriculum design ensures pupils have the opportunity to become more critical and reflective thinkers and learners. They will develop their verbal skills: to form questions, consider careful use of vocabulary and become confident speakers who can develop views on different matters.

Implementation

P4C is a philosophical approach to learning and teaching that enables students to think with others and to think for themselves. Our initial interest in P4C was to encourage better thinking and verbal reasoning. The collaborative element means it is useful as an inclusive activity, not dependent on written outcomes.

Starting with commonplace ideas, or ‘concepts’, children learn to use philosophical skills to listen to ideas, follow a line of thought, offer personal or imaginative ideas, question and extend their own knowledge and understanding of the chosen concept.

P4C is an integral part of our themes. As part of our ‘’Big Bang’ days, P4C questions challenge pupils to critically share knowledge, offer justifications, showcase experiences and challenge assumptions. P4C is a tool that provides effective thinking skills for other curriculum areas across the school, linking to metacognition: an individual’s ability to plan, monitor, evaluate and make changes to their own learning behaviours. These skills are proven methods to help children achieve their educational potential.

The purple strands were chosen to equip pupils to take part in an exploration of an idea. They are: enquiry skills, questioning skills and talking skills. Alongside the purple threads, is a continuous development of P4C skills. These 4 ‘C’s  are interwoven: Caring-about the concept in hand, Collaboration-working together in a non-judgemental way, Critical-being ready to justify, challenge or call out assumptions, and Creative-really thinking outside of the box.

Impact

Assessment for learning is embedded within each session. The quality of thinking can be seen through improved questioning skills and the move from simple vocabulary to nuanced. Pupils become more critical and reflect on what they learn and concepts they encounter. In a knowledge-rich curriculum, there are plenty of concepts that need unpacking. Big social issues of the day can be significantly addressed by P4C.

Enhancements Enrichment opportunities to enhance lessons include P4C after school clubs, Big Bang Day questions, Home Learning and assemblies.

Philosophy improves thinking skills in children of all ages, which helps them to grow in their understanding of themselves, others and their world. Sessions are fun and usually begin with a warm up game and then a stimulus is introduced, which leads to a question being chosen and discussed. Final thoughts let the children reflect on what has been shared and think about how their own view point might have been expanded or even changed.

We provide opportunities to promote the SMSC development of pupils. This happens in everyday lessons and as we work and play as part of a community. We recognise achievements and reflections pupils have made; celebrations or traditions they have been involved with. Explicit opportunities, assemblies, outside visits, special occasions, guests, as well as links with other schools, countries and continents are made.

P4C Progression