Over the past few years a major focus in the enrichment sector has been to grow and implement philosophy programmes throughout the whole school. This year we have developed the following initiatives and offerings in order to stimulate thinking and provoke new understandings.

PLC/Scotch Year 3 Philosophy 

Boys and girls from both schools met to discover the world of philosophy in an exciting new shared initiative. Sessions involved exploring philosophical topics such as Animal Rights and Can a Robot have Consciousness? Children learned how to frame higher order questions, build on one another’s ideas and share new understandings and different perspectives. Guided expertly by our scholar in residence Akram Azimi, this was a rich and meaningful series of workshops that will ignite curiosity and heighten awareness of the world in which we live.

Year 4 Introductory Philosophy Course

As for the Year 3 programme, our resident expert Akram Azimi introduces philosophical practices and understandings to an enthusiastic group of students who leave the room asking questions and itching to return for the next session.

Year 5/6 Introductory Philosophy Course

This year we will explore philosophy with Year 5 and 6 through this cross campus initiative that will prepare the students for the upcoming MS Philosothon.

MS Philosothon

The Scotch Middle School Philosothon is an annual inter-house competition giving boys the opportunity to practice critical and creative thinking, and to develop communication and collaboration skills. There are four rounds of competition. In each round a group of six boys forms a “Community of Inquiry” to discuss a philosophical question or an ethical dilemma. Boys are judged on their ability to think rationally, to listen carefully and to communicate effectively. They are rewarded for working together to develop a deeper collective understanding of the question and its related issues.A selected group of Year 5 students are invited to participate in this event, which prepares them for Middle School and also enables them the opportunity to listen to the perspective of older students