Our children are all little philosophers at East Prescot Road!

‘Philosophy for children’ (P4C) began with the work of Professor Matthew Lipman, who founded the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children at Montclair State University, USA in 1974.

Inspired and informed by Dewey’s developments of Pierce’s Community of Inquiry ideas (Pierce’s was a ‘community of scientific inquiry’ while Dewey’s was a ‘community of philosophical inquiry’), Lipman believed that young children possess the tools needed to think rationally, and through his method of reading philosophically stimulating narratives, he believed that children could be encouraged to respond philosophically.

Philosophy for Children (P4C) is an approach to teaching and learning, in which children take part in philosophical enquiry. It aims to enhance thinking and communication skills, boost confidence, self-esteem and improve behaviour.

We want our children to extend their thinking skills and articulate their ideas confidently.  We want children to become "becausers" by answering questions with extended sentences.