At River View Primary and Nursery School, we aim to create a curriculum and climate founded on enquiry. This is reflected in our ‘I wonder’ lessons and we aim to develop this in our P4C weekly lessons. In order to create this climate of enquiry, it is vital that children learn how to think and question effectively.

We aim to do this by providing an enquiry based curriculum which includes Philosophy for Children (P4C) sessions, where pupils are encouraged to ask questions and wonder about the world, other people and themselves. Through discussion, children find answers, thereby developing their ability to reason, recognise differences and explore these constructively. We aim to create an environment where children feel that they have the freedom to explore ideas and ask questions in all areas of school life. 

Within the enquiry children develop four key types of thinking:

• Caring = listening (concentrating) and valuing (appreciating)

E.g. showing interest in, and sensitivity to, others’ experiences and values

• Collaborative = responding (communicating) and supporting (conciliating)

E.g. building on each other’s ideas, shaping common understandings and purposes

• Critical = questioning (interrogating) and reasoning (evaluating)

E.g. seeking meaning, evidence, reasons, distinctions, and good judgements

• Creative = connecting (relating) and suggesting (speculating)

E.g. providing comparisons, examples, criteria, alternative explanations or conceptions

As well as promoting higher order thinking skills and reasoning skills, P4C develops the pupils’ ability to express their thoughts using mature vocabulary in both speaking and in writing. This has a significant impact on their development as speakers, writers and citizens. It teaches durable and transferrable thinking skills which have impact across the curriculum and allow pupils to make links between their learning. P4C is becoming an integral part of our curriculum and is a powerful tool in developing our pupils both academically and personally.