Why do we do Philosophy 4 Children at St. Leonard’s?
As a values-led school we believe regular P4C sessions enable us to provide a safe space to explore the true meaning of our core values, as well as current topical issues that we find interesting to discuss and are passionate about.
Values and P4C is at the heart of what makes our school a special place that stands out amongst the crowd!
P4C sessions allow us time to focus on developing key thinking, communication & social skills.
Research (please refer to www.sapere.org.uk for details) shows that P4C supports the development of children’s cognitive, speaking, listening & reasoning skills. This in turn results in improved literacy & numeracy outcomes.
P4C also enables personal, social & emotional growth of individuals – boosting confidence and self-esteem.
Children are given the time and space to learn how to manage their emotions appropriately, as well as allowing them to become more understanding towards one another
The main principles of a P4C discussion are:
- It’s OK to change your mind
- It’s OK to disagree, as long as you are respectful
- Everyone’s ideas are valued
The adult also focuses on developing P4C 4C’s thinking:
- Caring – understanding others and being respectful of different opinions
- Collaborative – finding solutions together
- Creative – making connections and thinking of new ideas
- Critical – understanding what we think and why
Below are some P4C questions you can be thinking about at home and in school.
