Staff and students at Larkmead School in Abingdon have been selected to take part in a project which aims to develop philosophical teachers and learners in the classroom.
The secondary school and sixth form in Faringdon Road has been chosen as one of only six to be involved in the three-year project run by the Templeton World Charity Foundation and SAPERE (Society for the Advancement of Philosophical Enquiry and Reflection in Education).
The project will see Larkmead School training in Philosophy for Children (P4C) and developing cross-curricular skills and collaboration between their Philosophy/Religion and Science departments.
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Staff and students together will develop skills and techniques for philosophical thinking, reasoning and reflection, enhancing their capacities for intellectual curiosity and wonder.
A special programme aimed at students will provide regular practice in Philosophy for Children, encouraging them to initiate and enjoy intellectually challenging conversations, and to ‘think like theologians and scientists’.
Headteacher Jonathan Dennett said: “This initiative will see Larkmead students developing skills across and beyond the curriculum.
“We aim to nurture curiosity and creativity, and this project will help students succeed academically as well as in their later life.”
Mr Dennett added: “This offers a great opportunity both for the school and the Vale Academy Trust in the years to come and is yet another example of how we focus on creating developmental experiences here at Larkmead.”
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Jen Simpson, project manager for SAPERE, said: “We are thrilled that Larkmead is joining our Thinking Together in Science and RE project.
“It’s exciting to be working with students and staff to help them really explore those big concepts which we find in both science and RE - concepts like existence, creation, diversity and change - and which we know are really important to young people.”
The school, which is part of Vale Academy Trust, will be able to access training and support worth over £10,000 as they achieve different award levels.
Once trained, Larkmead staff will work with other colleagues at schools across the trust to introduce the initiative trust-wide.
The project is funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, which was founded in 1996 by the philanthropist and investor Sir John Templeton.
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The foundation supports a diverse group of researchers to discover new knowledge, develop new tools, and launch new innovations that make a lasting impact on well-being.
For more information about the Foundation, visit templetonworldcharity.org.
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