Innovate P4C

Innovate P4C Courses apply philosophical enquiry in specialist contexts and combine P4C with complementary pedagogies to create new and imaginative ways to philosophise.

Current Innovate courses offer opportunities to explore enquiry by engaging with nature; artworks and art spaces; architecture and artefacts; drama and storytelling and metacognition. Courses on critical literacy and academic outreach are currently in development.

Innovate P4C courses are suited to those who have already completed our Level One course for beginner P4C practitioners.

Environmental Enquiry explores the natural world as a rich stimulus for dialogue, inviting participants to consider profound questions about nature and our place within it. In response to the complex global challenges that concern us all, this approach creates a supportive space for learners to process ideas, express their thoughts and feelings, and engage with others in meaningful discussion. Rather than prescribing answers, this approach empowers learners to think for themselves, build a sense of community, and develop shared values that support their growth as thoughtful and responsible global citizens.

Our Innovate P4C Course: Environmental Enquiry is a practical one-day experience that brings philosophical enquiry into outdoor settings, where curiosity can flourish. Originally developed by Gina Parker Mullarkey and Jane Yates, the course equips teachers and outdoor educators with the facilitation skills they need to think about nature, in nature.

Dramatic Enquiry combines Process Drama and Philosophy for Children and Communities (P4C) to create a playful pedagogy in which diverse problems and perspectives are explored and embodied. By posing philosophical questions within immersive, imagined experiences – and by moving in and out of role – Dramatic Enquiry deepens understanding empathy, and engagement, encouraging participants to think critically, creatively, collaboratively, and with care but also contextually and corporeally i.e. within shared stories and within their own bodies. Thoughtful’s Dramatic Enquiry work includes an ACE-funded 2024 Dramatic Enquiry project with artists and teachers in Hertfordshire

Our Innovate P4C Course: Dramatic Enquiry is an immersive one-day course designed for theatre-makers, and artists as well as teachers across a range of disciplines. Originally developed by Gordon Poad and Dr Grace Lockrobin, the course equips participants with the skills and confidence to facilitate this dynamic pedagogy in both cultural and classroom settings.

Heritage Enquiry uses philosophical facilitation to explore the fascinating and sometimes challenging questions raised by the curation and interpretation of historical buildings, landscapes, and objects. It invites participants to think critically about whose stories are told, how the past is represented, and what heritage means in contemporary society. Through dialogue, it opens up space to engage with multiple perspectives, deepen understanding, and consider the ethical and cultural dimensions of preserving and presenting history. Thoughtful’s Heritage Enquiry work includes a 2025-26 project with the National Trust.

Our Innovate P4C Course: Heritage Enquiry is an immersive one-day experience designed for heritage professionals – including curators, conservators, and education and engagement teams – as well as teachers across a range of disciplines, particularly history, politics, and citizenship. Originally developed by Dr Grace Lockrobin and Rosie Wilson, the course equips participants with the skills and confidence to facilitate philosophical enquiry in heritage contexts, creating more inclusive, reflective, and engaging ways for people to connect with the past.

Thinking Moves A–Z is a vocabulary of 26 types of thinking that provides a clear and structured approach to metacognition – helping learners to think about their thinking. More comprehensive than Bloom’s Taxonomy yet easier to understand, remember, and apply, Thinking Moves A–Z makes metacognition accessible for both teachers and students. Originally developed to support facilitation in Philosophy for Children and Communities (P4C), it enhances dialogue, deepens thinking, and unlocks the metacognitive potential of enquiry, while also offering a framework that can be applied across the wider curriculum and in everyday life.

Our Innovate P4C Course: Thinking Moves A–Z equips educators with the knowledge and practical strategies to embed this powerful framework into their teaching and facilitation. Developed and led by DialogueWorks, led by Thoughtful founder Roger Sutcliffe and member Nick Chandley, the approach supports teachers to make thinking visible, develop learners’ metacognitive awareness, and strengthen the quality of dialogue in P4C and beyond. Participants will gain confidence in using Thinking Moves to enrich enquiry, support deeper reflection, and extend its impact across different areas of learning.