Philosophy for Children (P4C)
Introduction to P4C
Why are we engaging with P4C at Ash Green?
“The aim of a thinking skills programme such as P4C is not to turn children into philosophers but to help them become more thoughtful, more reflective, more considerate and more reasonable individuals.”
Matthew Lipman
As part of the Societas Trust, we have been extremely fortunate to engage with the UK’s National Charity Sapere: Society for the Advancement of Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education.
This has enabled every teacher at Ash Green to qualify as a Level 1 P4C Facilitator, with Mrs Murphy, our P4C lead, extending her qualification to Level 2b.
Your child may have told you about P4C, but you may still be wondering what it’s all about!
P4C, or Philosophy for Children, is an approach to learning and teaching which enhances children’s thinking and communication skills, boosts their self-esteem, and improves their academic attainment.
It was established over forty years ago by Professor Matthew Lipman of Montclair State University in the United States and is now practised around the world.
In P4C, a stimulus, such as a story, video clip or image, is shared with a group of children. The children are encouraged by a trained facilitator, such as a teacher, to come up with the kind of big, engaging philosophical questions about the stimulus which is at the heart of P4C.
Children might come up with philosophical questions such as:
- Is it ever OK to lie?
- What makes you you?
- Do we have to respect everyone?
- Can good people do bad things?
- Do we all have the same rights?
Through a vote, the children then choose the question they would most like to discuss. The teacher gives the children time to think and reason individually about the question before facilitating the exchange of ideas and opinions as a group, or community of enquiry. Over time, the teacher supports the children to think more deeply and philosophically by encouraging the 4Cs of P4C – critical, creative, collaborative and caring thinking.
As questions grow more philosophical and imaginative, children learn to listen carefully to each other, to explore differences of opinion respectfully, and to value the ideas of others.
What does a P4C session look like?
The children usually sit in a circle to aid good listening and equal involvement. They think about the rules and guidelines for a successful enquiry and possibly focus on particular skills needed. The session usually starts with a game that helps build these skills.
See P4C in action!
https://www.societastrust.org.uk/page/?title=Innovation&pid=27
How can you help your child to develop their P4C skills at home?
- Take time to listen to them/talk to them about the P4C sessions in class
- Be confident that you don’t always know the answer—its ok to ponder, not everything has or needs an answer.
- Give them opportunities to talk about appropriate ‘big issues’ e.g. questions from newspapers or TV.
- Use open-ended questions: Why do you think that? How did you decide? What do you think?
Useful books, videos and websites to develop P4C at home:
Subject Leader Introduction
My name is Emma Murphy, and I am proud to serve as the Philosophy for Children (P4C) subject leader at Ash Green Primary Academy. My passion for philosophy was first ignited during my degree studies, and it remains a driving force in my professional life. When the opportunity arose to lead P4C at Ash Green, I embraced it wholeheartedly.
Originally from Southport, I moved to Stoke-on-Trent to study Law at Keele University. Following graduation, I worked for three years in child protection, supporting families through challenging circumstances. This experience deepened my commitment to children’s wellbeing and inspired me to retrain as a teacher at Nottingham University. Since joining Ash Green in 2017, I have taught across Reception, Year 1, and Year 3. Each day brings new adventures, and I am continually inspired by the exceptional children I have the privilege to teach.
I am particularly passionate about immersive, active learning that engages children through multi-sensory experiences and outdoor exploration. I believe that joy and laughter are essential ingredients in education, and I strive to ensure they are woven into daily classroom life. Alongside my work in P4C, I also lead staff wellbeing, recognising the importance of nurturing both pupils and colleagues.
In today’s complex and ever-changing world, P4C offers a powerful methodology for helping children engage with global issues and develop the skills of dialogue, reasoning, and reflection. Through P4C, pupils learn to ask meaningful questions, refine their arguments, explore alternatives, and, most importantly, deepen their understanding of themselves, others, and the wider world.
I am passionate about equipping our children to thrive as active members of a diverse and inclusive society. By the time they leave Ash Green, they carry with them the ability to think critically, express themselves with confidence, and feel a strong sense of belonging to a community. P4C empowers them to make thoughtful decisions, self-evaluate, and build meaningful connections. It nurtures reflective, confident, and considerate individuals. These are qualities that will serve them throughout their lives.
P4C at EYFS Stay & Play
P4C in the Early Years is playful and thought provoking, and it can seamlessly form part of our Stay & Play experiences with families. In these 2 photographs, the children are discussing with their Dads what makes an animal beautiful. They are thinking out loud to justify the position they are placing the animals on a concept continuum.
World Philosophy Day 2025 - parent sessions
This year, parents were welcomed into school for our World Philosophy Day celebrations, and it was wonderful to see such a great turn‑out. The halls buzzed with curiosity as families joined their children in exploring big ideas, and the discussions that unfolded were thoughtful, lively, and full of shared wonder. It was a joyful reminder of how powerful philosophical thinking can be when our whole community comes together.
World Philosophy Day 2024
World Philosophy Day 2023
To see what our P4C pupil leaders do, have a look at our Pupil Leadership page.
We are delighted to share that we have been awarded the SAPERE P4C Silver School Award! This is ‘in recognition of the school’s outstanding commitment and progress in P4C.’ The Silver School Award ‘celebrates the development of high quality P4C practice as integral to the school’s ethos, curriculum and values.’ The award assessor commented on the variety and depth of reasoning from children at Ash Green, as well as the strong commitment from staff and leadership.
