Partnerships

Collaboration with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), including Universities, Initial Teacher Education (ITE) settings, and teaching schools is an essential part of our aim to realise the benefits of philosophical education as widely and equitably as possible. We believe that by working with HEIs that research philosophical enquiry, practise P4C in their teaching, and train others to do the same, we can better achieve this goal. And by coordinating networks of colleagues engaged in similar work and by connecting them to local P4C schools and communities, we believe that we can all learn from each other.

We appreciate that Universities and other HEIs vary significantly in their styles, models of teaching, student body size and connection to P4C and so in developing the partnership model we have aimed connect with institutions in flexible ways. We hope that this approach can lead to creative and open partnerships, with the aim to facilitate meaningful expansion of P4C and the development of high-quality practice and research.

Our partnerships with Universities aim to ensure that:

• academics receive professional development in P4C and benefit from the adoption of philosophical pedagogy in their teaching
• students learn to philosophise and develop their speaking listening and thinking skills and enhance their employability
• course creators benefit from assistance with curriculum design to maximise opportunity for dialogue and enquiry
• future teachers (and other future professionals like social workers and therapists) experience P4C, develop their own philosophical practice and qualify with Thoughtful, allowing them to take their skills into schools and communities
• more school children experience philosophical enquiry via ECT’s with P4C experience and via stronger connections with local universities
• HEI’s practising high quality P4C and ITE’s offering excellent professional development are celebrated
• HEI networks for P4C grow nationally and internationally, while more HEI connections with local schools and colleges practising P4C are established
• research on philosophical education is better designed and conducted
• high quality P4C resources are co-created and widely disseminated
• More academic and researchers become Thoughtful Fellows

We want partnership to be as flexible as possible. As such, the following section outlines possible opportunities for collaboration between Thoughtful and HEIs but is non-exhaustive. If you have suggestions about how we might work together, please get in touch.

Opportunities for all HEI departments and for ITE providers:

• professional development courses
• consultancy on maximising opportunities for dialogue in curriculum design
• HEI network membership and access to free programme of online events*
• exploratory conversations about funding and research collaborations*
• opportunities to host and/or present* at our annual conference
• opportunities to access and contribute to co-op resource library

Opportunities specifically designed for ITE providers:

• trainer accreditation for ITE Educators
• consultation on ITE curriculum design, ensuring students satisfy L1 requirements
• certification of ITE students taught by Thoughtful-accredited HEI Trainers
• match-making between HEIs and local Thoughtful schools and colleagues
• access to our HEI awards programme
• opportunities to co-create and disseminate P4C resources
• alongside HEI Network membership, access to the schools P4C network meetings

Partnership status is free to all HEIs who wish to sign up

The following benefits are also free: network membership, exploratory funding and research conversations, matchmaking between schools and universities, opportunities to speak at our conferences and events, certification for students taught by Thoughtful accredited HEI trainers.

The provision of certain services to partners, such as training and consultancy, incur fees. Commissioning these services is entirely at the discretion of the HEI according to their needs and partnership does not require that we work together in this way. These optional services are outlined in the University Partnership Guide below.

University of Winchester includes Thoughtful P4C training as part of their ITE curriculum, including the certification at Level One. Winchester will host our 2024 conference.

Sheffield Hallam University undertakes research on P4C and early years education and includes Thoughtful P4C training as part of their ITE curriculum, including the certification at Level One. SHU hosted our 2022 conference.

Edge Hill University includes Thoughtful P4C training as part of its ITE curriculum, including the certification at Level One.

York St John University includes Thoughtful Level One as part of its ITE curriculum, including the certification at Level One.

The University of South Wales was the first partner institution to join Thoughtful through signing the new HEI Partnership Charter.

The University of Gloucestershire has recently joined the partnership scheme.

The University of the West of England has recently joined the partnership scheme.

The University of Birmingham has recently joined the partnership scheme.

Liverpool Hope University has recently joined the partnership scheme.

UCL’s Faculty of Education & Society – Initial Teacher Education Programmes have joined the partnership scheme.

The University of Bristol has recently joined the partnership scheme.

The Institute for Education, this Maltese institution is our first European partner.

Keele and North Staffordshire Teacher Education are returning partners.

“The [P4C] module has been brilliantly received. 100% of students have evaluated it as either good or outstanding and all have made reference to how their thinking has been challenged.”

– Caroline Elbra-Ramsay, Deputy Head, School of Education, York St John University

“It has inspired me to think/teach in a different way and has helped me to develop as a person and a teacher beyond P4C!”

– University of Winchester Student Teacher, 2023

Train P4C is the The Academic Trainer Development Programme for Teacher Educators and University Lecturers who wish to incorporate elements of Philosophy for Children and Communities (P4C) into their teaching practice and course programmes. It is suitable for those who wish to teach trainee teachers (or other vocational students such as social workers, therapists etc.) to practise P4C in their future roles. In cases where students complete all six modules of the Thoughtful Level One course, this will enable their students to achieve Thoughtful accreditation and to progress through our professional development pathway.

The Academic Trainer Development Programme equips participants to apply to become ‘Academic Trainers’. Find our more on our Train P4C course page,

In becoming a University partner, we ask you to agree to work with Thoughtful to advance our mission to help people improve their learning and their lives through philosophical enquiry. HEI partnership may be with whole institutions, specific departments or sub-departments. Please specify which when applying. Applications for partnership can be made by any permanent member of staff from the HEI, but they should be co-signed by a head of department of other representative of senior leadership.

Please apply using this link: Thoughtful University Partnership Application form – Fill in form

You will be prompted to fill out the following information:

• Institution and departmental name
• Applicant name
• Authorised co-signatory (where appropriate)
• Confirmation that you support the mission of Thoughtful
• Confirmation that you agree with the aims of partnership 
• Specific suggestions about ways we might collaborate
• Confirmation that we can refer to you as a partner on our website and in our literature
• A link to a logo we can use (optional)
• Confirmation that you understand that partnership must be renewed every three years