Philosophy in schools

I can visit your school for one-off or repeat sessions to run philosophy discussions with classes and assemblies from nursery to A level. Watch a class come alive as they think, speak and listen together, expertly facilitated!

Want to learn how to facilitate P4C sessions from a leading world expert and author of The If Machine among many other books on philosophy in schools - get in touch!

• Philosophy class facilitator
• Philosophy through the Odyssey
• Philosophy through stories and storytelling
• Assemblies
• P4C training
• Oracy through philosophy
• Guest lecturer for assemblies, GCSE and A level

"The children have become more reflective learners. This can be seen in how they approach all areas of the curriculum."
Jaspreet Hunjan, Y3 Teacher, Ilderton Primary School

"The day was a huge success. I was fortunate enough to be in with a group at the end - they were engaged, taking part, focused. It was lovely to see this side of some students who have in the past been problematic. Feedback throughout the day from the students that I saw was very positive...Teachers who were supervising were very impressed with the activities and also how the team dealt with discussion - facilitating deeper questions and dealing with any issues."
Helen Holland, The Cotswolds School

Better questioning INSET training

Learn how to question your students better, how to engage and stimulate speaking, listening and thinking through the questions you ask, how to teach without teaching and how to have classes question everything constructively, including you!

• Open Questioning Mindset training
• How to create 'questioning classrooms'
• How to develop a pedagogy of questioning
• How to teach critical thinking without teaching and how to question without questions

"The best, most transformative CPD I have ever attended in all my years as a teacher" Dr Elizabeth Mackintosh (see below)

"The concept of open questioning mindset is a remarkable contribution. [With it] Peter Worley has matched the much more famous pedagogical contribution, "growth mindset", of Carol Dweck."
Roger Sutcliff, founding member of SAPERE

"I've used this technique in every lesson since the inset and will adopt it for life now! It was significantly effective from the get go. Delighted!"
Alex Apaloo, Westminster School

"It was very useful and it introduced me to strategies I can embed across the curriculum, not just philosophy sessions."
Teacher, Gipsy Hill Federation

"Pete's work on questioning techniques, creating a question centred curriculum and most crucially fostering a questioning mindset is an absolute must for all teachers, not just those teaching philosophy.

Please do get a copy of Pete's books Questioning and his Corrupting Youth today if you can and then do sign up for one his courses. The Headmaster at my current school recently came to watch a Philosophy enquiry and was so blown away by the techniques and the whole experience of the session, that he wanted this method and experience rolled out for all pupils in the school - these techniques on show and this sort of experience I can help to create is all because of Pete and being part of TPF family."

Dr Elizabeth Mackintosh
Head of Philosophy and Religious Studies at an independent school in Hampshire,
VRF and visiting lecturer at the University of Winchester

Inspirational speaker

I can deliver keynote talks on the themes of philosophy in education, work and life, the role of questioning in society.

"The best talk I've been to so far at the festival"
Attendee to 'Corrupting Youth' talk at How the Light Gets In 2020

Philosophical counsellor and decision coach

Philosophy in life: Explore life issues, questions, decisions and values through one-to-one or group sessions with a personal philosophical facilitator using philosophical tools, strategies and approaches, insights from the canon of philosophers over the past 3000 years, but primarily through the use of question-and-answer philosophical enquiry in the tradition of Socrates and friends.

Philosophy at work: Are you faced with difficult decisions in your work or life? (How should we decide our business strategy? How do we get more value from limited resources? Where to invest? Where to cut costs? Whom to hire and promote? etc.) Do you ever feel all at sea when trying to make difficult decisions? Do you ever wish for some principles, rules of thumb, methods and strategies to gain a better understanding of what’s involved and what would help make better (or worse!) decisions? A decision coach can help you take more control over your decisions and, consequently, your - and your company’s - future.

"My son was suffering from anxiety relating to some very complex issues and we were struggling to find the appropriate professionals to answer his questions; until we discovered Pete at the Philosophy Foundation. Pete Worley is a consummate source of knowledge and a deep thinker who was not only able to answer questions but also pose theories and ideas that challenged and changed my son's negative perspectives in less than 2 sessions. Pete and the philosophy foundation provide a unique service and plug a much needed hole in the well-being community" Client 1*

"I've worked with Peter for three coaching sessions now and must say that he has helped me through navigating the personal complexities of my life. His exceptional ability to ask questions that reach the heart of the problem with empathy and compassion has brought about insight and perspectives I've not considered. I highly recommend working with Peter for coaching and looking forward to having more sessions with him." Client 2*

"I found it interesting, useful and exciting. Interesting because it prompted questions which I never thought about; useful as I can apply what I have learnt in my professional and well as my personal life, and exciting because of the unlimited variety of topics that could be discovered and explored. I can see how these coaching sessions could help me grow by supporting me in conceptualising and structuring complex problems." Client 3*

*Names of private clients are not disclosed for confidentiality reasons

Thinking tutor and mentor

I work as a tutor/mentor/coach for young people and adults. Although I have worked to support pupils with exam curriculum content for GCSE music, A level philosophy and religious studies, I have developed a specialism supporting people to develop better critical thinking skills more generally in preparation for university level education and coaching for Oxbridge interviews, and this includes working with young people in care and coming out of care and pupils who think neurodivergently.

"Peter has been a fantastic tutor in philosophy for my daughter who was already studying philosophy at A level, but also wanted to take it further and apply to study philosophy at university. My daughter was visibly enthused and thoroughly enjoyed their discussions. I would highly recommend him." *

*The student's first choice application was successful

Philosophy in the public sphere

I have worked, delivering workshops, training and facilitating public discussions and enquiries, for The British Museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery, English National Opera, the NHS, British Petroleum, the Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival, Howthelightgetsin Festival, The Oxford and the Cheltenham Literary Festivals. Speak to me to create bespoke events for your organisation to help people get deeper and closer through thought-provoking discussions and activities.

"Thank you so much for bringing the excellent philosophy workshops to the Oxford Literary Festival. As always, they were some of the highlights of the children’s programme. I really enjoyed the session I was able to attend, it gave me so much to think about as an adult and it was fascinating to watch the young people thinking and engaging with the arguments. The Festival stewards told me how much they enjoyed it too and that they found it one of the most interesting events of the Festival."
Andrea Reece, Oxford Literary Festival

The If Machine, 2nd edition:
30 Lesson Plans for Teaching Philosophy

Fully updated with new developments in the theory and practice of teaching philosophy, this new edition of the bestselling book, The If Machine, presents 25 clear, ready-to-use plans to teach philosophy in the classroom with children aged 5 to 13. Each tried-and-tested session offers an imaginary situation, followed by a series of questions to encourage children to challenge key philosophical ideas such as values and ethics, gender and identity, and existence and beauty. With a star system indicating the level of difficulty, this practical book by Peter Worley, founder of The Philosophy Foundation, outlines Peter's philosophical enquiry method, which he has developed over 20 years of teaching. This fantastic resource also includes a section with brand new hints and tips, as well as a troubleshooting table with guidance and links to further resources about how to deal with common problems such as unanimity. Accompanied by a companion website featuring a comprehensive explanation of key terms, a guideline list of criteria for the development of philosophical aptitude and an introduction to the philosophy that inspired the ideas, The If Machine is a must-have resource for all classrooms.

"A welcome second edition of what is still the best book of its kind on the market: an invaluable resource for teachers wanting to try out some philosophy in their classroom, and a significant contribution to educational theory."
Michael Hand, Professor of Education, University of Birmingham

"This book is invaluable for all those who want to explore the many ways philosophy can enrich the lives of young people. Its lesson plans are imaginative, engaging and eminently practical, and the troubleshooting section, bibliography and website provide superb support."
Angie Hobbs, Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy, University of Sheffield

"This is a treasure trove of hints, tips and ideas for bringing philosophy alive in the classroom. Challenging, rigorous and enormously stimulating - there's absolutely nothing 'iffy' about Peter Worley's approach!"
Dr John L. Taylor, Director, Philosophy in Education Project

100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Questioning

Questioning is key to effective teaching and learning, yet practical questioning strategies that are immediately useable in the classroom can be hard to come by. 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Questioning presents practical strategies, games and activities not only to help teachers improve their own questioning in the classroom, but also to allow pupils to develop an understanding of how they too can ask effective questions to develop their learning. Using philosophical approaches including ownership, authenticity, balance and Socratic principles, Peter Worley, founder of The Philosophy Foundation, provides guidance and ideas on how questioning can help pupils reach the next step and activate their own thinking. He also encourages teachers to reflect on their own practice and the effect of questioning on children's progress. The ideas in this book are applicable to all subjects in a primary teacher's curriculum and are ideal for establishing good questioning strategies and an understanding of this core element of teaching.

“If you were to merge the training of an academic philosopher with the passion of our most inspirational teachers, then you'd create Peter Worley. This, his latest creation, is quite simply a beauty of a book: one that will guide and inspire you, and lead to ever more engaging, thought-provoking experiences for your learners.”
James Nottingham, teacher, author, and creator of The Learning Pit

“Peter Worley offers us a supercharged insight into questioning strategies and mindsets. Teachers will appreciate this crisp distillation of his most influential and practical ideas. This book is a crash course in becoming a more deliberative and deft facilitator of enquiry.”
Michelle Sowey, Director, The Philosophy Club, Australia

Corrupting Youth: History and Principles of Philosophical Enquiry: VOLUME 1 (Big Ideas for Young Thinkers)

A practical guide to facilitating philosophical conversations with groups (especially in schools) based on philosophical and pedagogical principles derived from the ancient Greek philosophers but supported my modern-day research and pedagogical practices. It divides facilitation up into basic, expert and advanced levels, allowing a teacher to get going with some basic moves and principles allowing for development of facilitation over time. As well as being packed with practical strategies, questioning prompts and methods for developing metacognition and critical thinking in pupils, it also has brand new session plans published nowhere else previously.

"With a deep commitment to excellence in philosophical thinking and to valuing young people's thoughts and ideas, Peter Worley presents a method for facilitating philosophical inquiry that is well-defined and rigorous and at the same time fosters collaboration and community. Theoretically rich and filled with practical ideas and techniques, the two-volume Corrupting Youth offers carefully constructed and accessible strategies that will be appreciated by beginning and experienced philosophy instructors alike." Jana Mohr Lone

"Corrupting Youth is a fresh, dynamic and engaging book, enriched by Peter Worley's experience in schools and enlivened by his great capacity for story-telling. With this two-volume compendium, Worley introduces the foundational principles of Philosophical Enquiry (PhiE): both theoretical (its roots in Ancient Hellenistic philosophy, especially Socrates and Heraclitus) and practical (the skilled facilitation of dialectical philosophical enquiry). Worley has written a book that is erudite, expansive and warmly encouraging. Accessible to philosophers and teachers alike, it contains so much of value, including the four components of philosophizing (responsive, reflective, reasoned and re-evaluative); the Greek concepts of logos and flux; the eight core values of PhiE, especially dissent, oracy, and friendship; and the session plans. Whatever your current approach to pre-college philosophy education, reading this book will only enhance it." Megan Jane Laverty, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University

"In his important new book, Corrupting Youth, Peter Worley gives a comprehensive account of his PhiE method for practising philosophy for and with children. He traces the method's core ideas back to Ancient Greek philosophy, provides the approach with a systematic theoretical structure and offers a great deal of useful practical guidance with many engaging examples. Clearly written and tightly organised, it is an excellent contribution to the subject, from which both practitioners and theorists will learn a great deal." Berys Gaut and Morag Gaut, authors, "Philosophy for Young Children: A Practical Guide"

"Worley understands children and their extraordinary power to think. With these books Worley connects and updates the ancient Socratic Dialogue tradition to our digital present, sharing practical tools to work with children as active participants and build their cognitive confidence to express their thinking, so that no child's thoughts 'may fall to the ground.' Evidence of the fruits of Worley's 20 years of direct work with pupils shines through on every page, bringing Philosophical Enquiry to life. Worley believes all children can achieve great futures and sets us a collective challenge with these books, which we would do well to meet: help children think for themselves, to create themselves and create their best futures." Brian Grady, Operational Director, Safeguarding, Partnerships and Strategy, Children and Young People, London Borough of Brent

Corrupting Youth: How to Facilitate Philosophical Enquiry: VOLUME 2 (Big Ideas for Young Thinkers)

This book takes the principles explained in Vol.1 and describes a complete classroom practice for conducting philosophical conversations with groups (especially in schools) that has been honed over nearly twenty years of classroom experience by the author and his colleagues at The Philosophy Foundation. Although the method (known here as philosophical enquiry or PhiE for short) has been previously described in many earlier publications, this is by far the most thorough and comprehensive account of the method to date in one place. It includes, not only a thorough explanation of the central ideas of the method complete with current updates, but many extensions to the PhiE method including writing extensions, but most importantly, the extended thinking programme. This is an extension to the PhiE method that implements metacognitive and critical thinking strategies for the participants that has been shaped by two years of reflective research conducted by The Philosophy Foundation and King s College London.

"All facilitators of philosophical enquiry, and indeed all educators, should pounce on this book. In this volume Worley provides a wealth of eminently practical and imaginative resources, honed through his many years of experience, which will enrich and enliven the classroom and beyond for pupils, participants and facilitators alike. The aim of both well-integrated volumes is to foster the open, questioning mindsets - constructively critical, collaborative and imaginative - which are so urgently needed to tackle the complex challenges of the 21st century." Angie Hobbs, Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy, University Of Sheffield

"Corrupting Youth is yet another great contribution to the literature on philosophy in schools from Peter Worley. Worley traces the ancient sources of his dialectical approach to philosophical enquiry, brings out its continuing value, and explains the principles and practices involved. Here is an expert facilitator who shows how you can become one too." Philip Cam, president, The Federation of Australasian Philosophy for Children's Associations; Honorary Associate Professor, University of New South Wales

"Peter Worley's works form an introduction of sorts to philosophical dialogue on both the theoretical and practical levels. While lucid and coherent, they are above all illuminating and enlightening, educating the reader in the questions that engage the practitioners of PwC/P4C and the dialogue created by questions and ponderings that opens up a whole world of imagination--answers in turn raising new queries. As per his wont, Worley's writing is imbued with an inner fire that easily translates into action - an enthusiasm that verges on educational, pedagogical, and philosophical exaltation. On coming to the end of the reading experience, we are left with the conviction that there must be more - a higher level, material we have yet to be exposed to - and it is worth our while to wait and hope to reach even greater heights of our common humanity." Arie Kizel, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa (Israel); President, ICPIC (International Council of Philosophical Inquiry with Children)

40 Lessons to get Children Thinking

Inspire your class to think more deeply about curriculum subjects and get them actively taking part in exciting philosophy experiments today.
This new book by bestselling author and founder of The Philosophy Foundation Peter Worley is a collection of practical lesson and activity plans to use in the primary classroom to get children thinking philosophically and creatively around different curriculum areas. The sessions - called thought adventures - use thought experiments, stories and poems to get children discussing and understanding topics more deeply.
Each session is explained step-by-step, with everything you need to 'do' and 'say' spelled out, and all the equipment you need listed with instructions on how to set up each session. You can implement the sessions in the classroom either as a complete lesson or as an activity within another lesson. All the sessions are tried and tested by Peter and his colleagues at The Philosophy Foundation.

"This is the type of book many teachers will keep on their desk and use the exercises very regularly; for me it is up there with Geoff Petty's 'Evidence-Based Teaching' and Paul Ginnis's 'The Teacher's Toolkit' as an essential resource. Worley is an excellent clear writer, who communicates very complex ideas very well.”

Francis Gilbert teacher, teacher trainer and author of ' I'm a Teacher, Get Me Out of Here'

The If Odyssey: a philosophical journey through Greek myth and storytelling

The If Odyssey draws out the philosophy that lies behind each story in Homer's epic tale to introduce children not only to the exciting fables of Odysseus, but also to that other great Ancient Greek tradition, philosophy. Explore with Odysseus the value of happiness, non-existent entities, moral dilemmas, the philosophy of prophecy, and the nature of love among many other philosophical issues. From the author of The If Machine, this book offers stories and session plans suitable for use across the curriculum with children aged 8-16. Online you'll find maps of Odysseus' journey, The Words of Tiresias that provides clues for the children as to Odysseus' progress and an Ancient Greek language workshop with accompanying worksheets. You can use the 'Storykit' section, which provides hints and tips on storytelling skills, to bring the tales of The Odyssey to life and stimulate independent, critical thinking with your class.

The If Odyssey was awarded the Primary Teacher Bronze Award 2013

"This splendid book by Peter Worley offers excellent material to help teachers introduce philosophical dialogue in their classes. Worley presents a good classic story, adapted to our time while remaining faithful to the original text, and suggests a multitude of activities and didactic orientations. It is one of the most useful books I've ever read."

Félix García Moriyón. Former President of ICPIC

Once Upon an If: The Storythinking Handbook

If you want to tell more stories in the classroom but lack the confidence to do so... If you need guidance finding stories that are good to get children thinking... If you like using stories in your teaching but want to get more from them than the moral at the end... Once Upon an If is the book for you! In his brand new book, award-winning author Peter Worley provides a comprehensive guide to everything a would-be storyteller needs, including how to bring a story to life, tips on how to memorise a story and improvise descriptions, and techniques for using tone, movement and timing to engage and involve the children in your class. Once Upon an If also comprises a treasury of stories, new and old, written especially to get a young audience thinking actively about the deeper issues that lie behind and within the tales. Guidance notes, lesson plans and activity questions are included with every story and there is a companion website including extra resources for you to use on your interactive whiteboard. Once Upon an If draws on Peter's ten years of experience as a philosophy teacher, trainer and storyteller to help any teacher place stories and storytelling where they should be - back at the heart of teaching.

"'Tell me a story!' is a perennial plea, and we are all of us the richer for that. This book shows clearly why." Anne Fine, second Children's Laureate

"Peter's book almost hijacked my day. Week. I resisted the multiple temptations of the contents pages...sort of. It was a challenge: sections full of shiny things calling out, 'Read me! Try me out! Have a think about me!" Mike Fleetham, Education consultant and creator of thinkingclassroom.co.uk

"The royal road to better thinking lies through philosophy, and Peter Worley is guiding whole generations of better thinkers along it. He is doing a great service wonderfully well." A. C. Grayling, Master of the New College of the Humanities

Thoughtings: Puzzles, Problems And Paradoxes In Poetry To Think With

Thoughtings is a poetry collection with a difference.
The name ‘Thoughtings’ was inspired by a 5-year old who, when asked to explain what thinking is without using the word ‘think’ said “It’s when you’re thoughting”. Children love pondering big philosophical questions like ‘Does the universe end?’, ‘Where is my mind?’ and ‘Can something be true and false at the same time?’. These verses capture that impulse in the growing mind and feed it further. These are not poems or, at least, not in the traditional sense of the word… They are a kind of poem specifically designed around a particular puzzle or problem that might be thought more philosophy than poetry. Here’s to the joy of puzzlement!

Thoughtings was named Teach Primary's Best Book 2014.

"This may look like a book - but in fact, it’s a portal; a gateway into the boundless possibilities of the mind’s perspectives, and stepping through it in the company of your pupils could enrich both your experience of their learning and theirs immeasurably."

Helen Mulley, Teach Primary Magazine, Issue 6.8

The Philosophy Shop: ideas, activities and questions to get people, young and old, thinking philosophically

The Philosophy Shop is a veritable emporium of philosophical puzzles and challenges to develop thinking in and out of the classroom.

Imagine a one-stop shop stacked to the rafters with everything you could ever want, to enable you to tap into young people’s natural curiosity and get them thinking deeply. Well, this is it! Edited by our co-founder CEO Peter Worley and with contributions from philosophers from around the world as well as our own specialists, The Philosophy Shop is jam-packed with ideas to get anyone thinking philosophically from children and young people to adults. For use in the classroom, at after school clubs, in philosophy departments and philosophy groups or even for the lone reader, this book will appeal to anyone who likes to think. Take it on journeys and dip in; use it as a classroom starter activity, or for a full philosophical enquiry - it could even be used to steer pub, dinner party or family discussions away from the same old topics.

Winner of the Education Resources Awards 2013, Educational Book Award

Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Winner, Philosophy (Adult Nonfiction)

Winner of Compilations / Anthologies category of the New England Book Festival

"This may look like a book - but in fact, it’s a portal; a gateway into the boundless possibilities of the mind’s perspectives, and stepping through it in the company of your pupils could enrich both your experience of their learning and theirs immeasurably."

Helen Mulley, Teach Primary Magazine, Issue 6.8

______________________________

"A gateway into the boundless possibilities of the mind’s perspectives"

What makes me, me? and other interesting questions (2013)

A BAFTA-nominated BBC educational series adapted from The If Machine by Peter Worley.

Fun and engaging short films exploring fundamental philosophical concepts through everyday questions that children ask, and adults often struggle to answer.
The films provide a springboard into wider philosophical exploration and debate in the classroom and beyond, considering concepts such as morality, identity and fairness, and aim to help Key Stage 2 students to think logically, laterally and creatively.

Plato, metacognition and philosophy in schools
(Journal of Philosophy in Schools, 2018, 5/1)

Abstract
In this article, I begin by saying something about what metacognition is and why it is desirable within education. I then outline how Plato anticipates this concept in his dialogue Meno. This is not just a historical point; by dividing the cognitive self into a three-in-one—a ‘learner’, a ‘teacher’ and an ‘evaluator’—Plato affords us a neat metaphorical framework for understanding metacognition that, I contend, is valuable today. In addition to aiding our understanding of this concept, Plato’s model of metacognition not only provides us with a practical, pedagogical method for developing a metacognitive attitude, but also for doing so through doing philosophy. I conclude by making a case for philosophy’s inclusion in our school systems by appeal to those aspects of philosophy (the conceptual, the self-consciousness and the epistemological) that are metacognitive or that are conducive to developing metacognition, as revealed by the insights afforded us by Plato’s Meno and Theaetetus.

Ariadne’s Clew Absence and presence in the facilitation of philosophical conversations
(Journal of Philosophy in Schools, 2016, 3/2)

Abstract
Drawing on fifteen years of experience as a practitioner of doing philosophy in primary (ages 3-11) and secondary (ages 11-18) school classrooms, I will describe and attempt to justify (appealing to ownership and philosophical dialectic) two broad, over-arching principles, presence and absence: the extent to which a facilitator influences (presence) or deliberately refrains from influencing (absence) philosophical enquiry. While it is expected that the facilitator will and should be present in the discussion, this paper pays special attention to the extent to which a facilitator judges that presence appropriate. I revisit the notion of open and closed questions but, instead of considering the structural aspect (Worley 2015b), I address the psychological dimension of open and closed questioning, what I have called ‘Open Question Mindset’ (OQM) and its opposite ‘Closed Question Mindset’ (CQM). I consider two of the main ways in which teachers commonly demonstrate CQM: ‘Guess-what’s-in-my-head’ questioning and ‘Guess-what’s-in-your-head’ questioning/inferring. OQM, together with the notion of ‘intentional sensitivity–sensitivity to the student’s intentions rather than only to the surface-meaning or logical implications of their utterances–allows me to suggest ways in which one may practically meet the requirements of presence and absence. One particular aspect of facilitation that I consider, and recommend being mindful of, is paraphrasing or interpreting, especially with regard to hidden premises that might be thought implied by things children say. I recommend consciously refraining from interpreting children’s contributions (absence), and instead working hard to elicit or ‘excavate’ children’s intentions and meanings through careful OQM questioning (presence).

Open thinking, closed questioning: Two kinds of open and closed question
(Journal of Philosophy in Schools, 2015, 2/2)

Abstract
In this paper, I identify a confusion that follows from how open and closed questions are ordinarily understood. I draw a distinction between two kinds of open and closed question: ‘grammatical’ open and closed questions and ‘conceptual’ open and closed questions. I claim that this distinction resolves a confusion identified in the first part of this paper and I reply to anticipated, possible objections to the distinction. The second part of the paper describes a practical questioning strategy called ‘the question X’ that I have developed, making use of the distinction from the first part of the paper. The question X shows how the best of both closed-ended questioning and open-ended questioning can be combined in classroom questioning to maintain the focus and specificity of closed questioning while also maintaining the richness and invitation to say more of open questioning. In addition, the strategy of the question X also encourages the formulation of standard form thinking and expression in those questioned.

The Funnel of Righteousness
Philosophy Now - Issue 164: October/November 2024

Read here

Why Philosophy Should Be at the Core of Education
iai - 27th August 2017

Read here

Happily ever after? Using children's stories to teach philosophy and ethics
The Guardian - 28 Jan 2014

Read here