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Thoughtful

This post is by Grace Lockrobin, Co-director of Thoughtful.


Resources for Philosophy for Children


Over the past few years, the charity established in 1992 as SAPERE, has undergone a metamorphosis. Our members and stakeholders agreed that we needed a new name that captures our commitment to the kind of dialogue that takes ideas seriously and treats interlocutors sensitively. In short, thoughtful dialogue. It turns out that our new name was staring us in the face.

We are pleased to share Thoughtful’s new website, a refreshed digital space that we hope better articulates (and facilitates) our work in Philosophy for Children and Communities (P4C). 


Thoughtful new website


Thoughtful has spent more than three decades supporting philosophical enquiry in schools and communities across the United Kingdom. The new site offers a clearer and more welcoming way to explore that work, while expressing the same mission and vision.

At the centre of Thoughtful’s approach is a simple but striking idea: that philosophical enquiry matters, not only within academic contexts but as part of everyday learning and life. The website reflects this by presenting enquiry as something that can be practised at any age and stage, and in any place, rather than as a specialised activity confined to higher education. 

Visitors to the new site can explore our courses, projects and programmes, via a navigation that makes it easier to see how different elements of P4C connect and are mutually reinforcing. The resources library (the new home for P4C.com) is particularly useful for educators, providing a curated collection of materials designed to support enquiry across a range of subjects and age groups.

The site also opens out onto a wider intellectual and social context via our blog which draws attention to the role of dialogue in fostering thoughtful, collaborative forms of engagement, and connects this to broader questions about education and participation in civic life. You’ll notice our latest post announces Thoughtful as the winner of the inaugural ‘Service to UK Philosophy’ prize from the British Philosophical Association.


A young man engaged in a philosophical discussion


Overall, the redesign is not simply a matter of presentation. It is a way of bringing Thoughtful’s work into a more accessible and coherent form. For educators, researchers, and anyone interested in dialogue, enquiry and education, the new Thoughtful website offers a useful starting point. It encourages visitors not only to explore what is available, but to take part in a wider community of enquiry.

We encourage you to take a look.


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