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In Conversation: P4C and SEND

We are pleased to announce an upcoming free online webinar from SAPERE.

Join teachers from Villa Real and Alt Bridge Schools, with Tracy Edwards from Leeds Beckett University, as we explore how philosophical enquiry can impact on students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

**This event took place on 20th March 2024** and relates to the Thinking Together in Science and RE project

In this SAPERE “In Conversation” webinar, we will be exploring how the pedagogy of P4C has been used in two different special schools as part of our Thinking Together in Science and RE Project sponsored by the Templeton World Charity Foundation. This FREE webinar is aimed primarily at teachers of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including both mainstream and special school teachers. Subject leaders of science and RE are also encouraged.

This online event will bring together experienced subject-specific P4C practitioners to navigate a series of topical questions, such as:

In what ways do you adapt and enhance P4C for your subject and students?
What are the unique qualities that P4C brings for your students?
What are the opportunities and barriers to authentic participation in a P4C enquiry?
How can P4C prepare students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for life beyond school?
What can P4C do to your own professional perception of what your students are capable of thinking, being and doing?

The event will be hosted by Jane Yates, a SAPERE P4C Trainer and Project Manager for the Thinking Together In Science and RE Project.

Biographies

Laura Beckham, Villa Real School, County Durham

Laura is a teacher at Villa Real, a school dedicated to providing quality and tailored education to students with severe, profound, medical, and complex learning difficulties, from ages 2 to 19. As a science specialist, Laura is particularly interested in inclusive teaching methods, communication, and metacognitive approaches to education. Villa Real school has been honoured with the gold Primary Science Quality Mark and the P4C Bronze Award. When not teaching, Laura is passionate about organising inclusive STEAM camps for children across the North East during the holidays.

Angela Doogan, Villa Real School, County Durham

Angela is a senior teacher who specialises in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and she is also the Lead Practitioner for Key Stage 2. As the RE coordinator, Angela enjoys incorporating religion into education and modifying lessons to meet the individual and complex needs of the children. She played a key role in the launch of the ‘Durham Agreed Syllabus for RE 2020’. Angela believes that Villa Real School places a high value on P4C (Philosophy for Children) as it is in line with the school’s core principles and encourages critical thinking among students of all abilities.

Claire Winstanley, Alt Bridge School, Liverpool

Clare is a secondary Maths specialist currently teaching in a SEND setting. She has previously worked in mainstream secondary school teaching Maths and RE to students aged 11 to 16 years old. Clare has recently been appointed as Curriculum Leader of the Innovation and Discovery Cluster, which includes Maths, Science and Technology. She has been working with SAPERE to embed P4C approaches across the curriculum; whilst also completing level 1 and level 2A training. Clare is new to this role and is very excited to learn more about how P4C can support in the development of the learners social and emotional needs whilst also preparing the young people for adulthood.

James Cook, Alt Bridge School, Liverpool

James is a secondary special needs teacher with 19 years of experience across each phase of education from EYFS through to KS4. He continues to work in collaboration across subjects in school and has experience leading departments ranging from the arts, technologies, computing, science, languages and traditional humanities subjects. James is leader of the Global Curriculum in his current SEND setting and has been leading P4C activities and development in collaboration with internal and external colleagues. This resulted in a Bronze P4C Award in summer 2023. He is particularly interested in how P4C enriches thinking for SEND students in preparation for adulthood. James has completed his Level 2A training and is about to embark on Level 2B training this year.

Tracy Edwards – Lecturer in Special Educational Needs, Leeds Beckett University

Tracy leads the MA Inclusive Practice in Education, as well as a new PG Cert in Leading Special Educational Needs (SEN) in International Contexts. Previously, as a secondary Head of Humanities, she taught A-Level Philosophy and Ethics and worked with Philosophy for Children (P4C) with learners from Key Stages 3 to 5. More recently, as a Senior Leader within an all-age special school, Tracy adapted P4C methodologies, to strengthen the participation of learners with speech, language, and communication difficulties. She also became a Specialist Leader in Education for Religious Education (RE) and was temporarily seconded to the role of RE Advisor for two London local authorities. She is interested in the role of philosophy in supporting practitioner development, and decision-making processes, in education.

**This event took place on 20th March 2024**

All delegates attending this event will also receive a free digital resource full of activities for thinking philosophically in science and RE, with a focus on SEND students.