Evaluating into the effectiveness and impact of the Philosophy for Children (P4C) programme, this report will make interesting reading for policy makers and teachers concerned with pupils’ personal and social development.
Philosophy for children: an evaluation
KS2
Pupil development and support
Social mobility / closing the gap
Social/welfare support
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education (SMSC)
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Synopsis
Philosophy for Children (P4C) is an approach to teaching in which pupils take part in group discussions on philosophical issues. The aim of P4C is to help children become more willing and able to ask questions, construct arguments, and engage in reasoned debate. Discussions are prompted by a case study, such as a story or a video, and are based around a concept such as ‘truth’, ‘fairness’ or ‘bullying’.
The primary goal of this evaluation was to assess whether a year of P4C instruction for pupils in years four and five would lead to higher academic attainment in maths, reading, and writing. The project also assessed whether P4C instruction had an impact on cognitive ability. It found that P4C had a positive impact on Key Stage Two attainment, and that overall pupils using the approach made approximately two additional months’ progress in reading and maths.
The results also suggested that P4C had the biggest positive impact on Key Stage Two results for disadvantaged pupils (those eligible for free school meals). Teachers and pupils generally reported that P4C had a positive influence on the wider outcomes such as pupils’ confidence, listening skills and self-esteem.