At Lansbury Lawrence, we are always looking for ways to deepen thinking, strengthen communication and nurture curiosity across our community. This term, our staff have been embracing the exciting possibilities of Philosophy for Children (P4C) — an approach that encourages children to explore big ideas through dialogue, reasoning and reflection.
Our support staff and trainee teachers recently took part in an engaging introduction to P4C, discovering how philosophical enquiry can unlock children’s natural curiosity and confidence. The session gave everyone a taste of the process: from creating thought-provoking questions to facilitating discussions that invite different views. Everyone had the opportunity to practise the skills of enquiry first-hand and then facilitate discussions.
Meanwhile, a group of our teachers embarked on the full three-day Level 1 P4C course, which began in September. This was done in partnership with Our Lady & St Joseph Catholic Primary School, and, over the course of the training, they explored the theory and practice behind high-quality philosophical dialogue. Exploring how to create a classroom culture where every voice is valued has been a valuable experience, and we are delighted to share that they are well on their way to successfully completing the course and becoming certified P4C practitioners.
The enthusiasm and commitment shown by all involved have been inspiring. As we look ahead, both Lansbury Lawrence and OLSJ are excited to continue developing P4C across the curriculum, empowering our pupils to think critically, question deeply and listen with empathy.
Lansbury Lawrence – Year Three: “P4C gives children the tools to think for themselves and the confidence to voice their opinions — skills that reach far beyond the classroom.”
OLSJ: “Our children have really benefited from the insights we have gained on the course.”
Congratulations to all staff who took part in this journey, and a big thank you to our trainer Lisa Naylor (Gallions Primary School). We can’t wait to see how P4C continues to enrich our learning community.