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To view the profiles of our Specialist Philosophy Teachers click on the Certification Levels below.
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Senior Team (7)
Peter Worley
Location: Forest Hill
Certification: Senior Team
Degree Qualifications
BA (Hons) Philosophy MA (Hons) Philosophy
Short CV
I was born in the Midlands but grew up in the West Country. I failed at school the first time around and so had to do it all again later. I worked as a guitar teacher for many years before completing a philosophy degree in 2000 at UCL, an MA in 2002 at Birkbeck and beginning a PhD at KCL in 2010 (which I one day hope to finish!). My interest in philosophy and teaching brought me to the world of philosophy with children and over the past 15 years, in conjunction with my colleagues at The Philosophy Foundation, we have developed our own approach to doing philosophical enquiry in the classroom: PhiE. This is described in my bestselling book 'The If Machine' (Bloomsbury 2011) and my latest book '40 lessons to get children thinking' (Bloomsbury 2015). I currently live and work in South East London with my wife Emma - who helps run the charity The Philosophy Foundation - and our daughter Katie. I am the current President of SOPHIA (the European foundation for the advancement of doing philosophy with children) and I'm also a Visiting Research Associate at King's College London.
Published Work
"The If Machine: Philosophical Enquiry in the Classroom." Bloomsbury 2011. "The If Odyssey: A Philosophical Journey Through Greek Myth and Storytelling for 8-16-year-olds" Bloomsbury 2012. "The Philosophy Shop: Ideas, activities and questions to get people, young and old, thinking philosophically" (Editor) Crown House 2012. "Thoughtings: Problems, Puzzles and Paradoxes in Poetry to Think With" Co-written with Andrew Day. Crown House 2012. Once Upon an If: The Storythinking Handbook, Bloomsbury 2013 Editor of Provocations: Philosophy in Secondary Schools by David Birch and The Numberverse by Andy Day, both published by Crown House in 2014 40 Lessons to Get Children Thinking, Bloomsbury 2015
Andrew Day
Location: London
Certification: Senior Team
Degree Qualifications
BA Hons Philosophy & Anthropology
Andy West
Location: London
Certification: Senior Team
Degree Qualifications
2.1 Hons BA Philosophy Heythrop College (University of London)
Short CV
Andy West joined us in 2010 and He has since finished every day satisfied with the experience of bringing philosophy to those who historically haven’t had it. He has worked in southeast London, SEN schools, Great Ormand Street Hospital, Muslim schools and prison education. Previously, Andy worked as a conflict mediator, a befriender for the National Autistic Society and an English teacher.
Published Work
He’s written for the Guardian, Times Education Supplement and Open Democracy. He's a contributor to the award-winning book The Philosophy Shop and his work with children with special educational needs was featured in the April 2015 edition of Special Children.
Steven Campbell-Harris
Location: London
Certification: Senior Team
Degree Qualifications
MA Philosophy and Theology (Edinburgh University- First Class Honours) Trinity TESOL Certificate (Bloomsbury International)
Short CV
Since January 2014 I have been responsible for planning and facilitating philosophy enquiries with children in years 1 to 8. At the moment I work as the resident philosopher in three state primary schools and two secondary schools in South East and East London. I have facilitated enquiries with around a thousand different students of all different year groups in the past couple of years. In late 2015 I took on additional responsibilities as a teacher trainer for the Foundation, helping with INSET days in school as well as observing and training other philosophy specialist teachers.
Rob Torrington
Certification: Senior Team
Degree Qualifications
MPhilStud, King's College London; BA (hons.), King's College London
Short CV
Joined TPF in 2007 as part of their first training cohort, helped grow the charity as their Training and Assessment Director and am currently a Senior Consultant. Trained as a teacher in 2012, working with Reception to post-16 and all ages between. Specialised in A-Level Philosophy, Religious Studies and the Extended Project Qualification since 2014. Now based on the Isle of Wight and coordinator of the Philosophy Foundation's South Coast Hub Manager, Senior Consultant and Trainer.
Pieter Mostert
Certification: Senior Team
Degree Qualifications
MA Philosophy 1978 + Phd 1988
Short CV
Studied philosophy at University of Amsterdam; MA degree in 1978. PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, 1988. Philosopher, educational consultant, trainer and facilitator. Born in a midwife school in the Netherlands and have been in education ever since. Involved in doing philosophy with children since 1981. Moved to South Africa in 2013. Specialist in making conversations pleasant, fruitful and lasting, under circumstances that may be difficult (in a conflict or dispute) or unusual (in the kitchen or on the train).
Published Work
Free space and room to reflect [Boom, Amsterdam 2005]. Authors: Jos Kessels, Erik Boers, Pieter Mostert In this book we demonstrate how the classical ideals of eloquence, discernment and good manners can be taken up into contemporary organisations. Free space field guide to conversations [Boom, Amsterdam 2009] Authors: Jos Kessels, Erik Boers, Pieter Mostert This book is a true 'field guide', exploring more than 80 different ways of having reflective dialogues in organisations, practising the classical virtues of conversations in depth, frankness in freedom and words that work. The facilitation guides are very practical, inspiring, demanding, challenging, and playful. Learning Conversations. The value of interactive learning [Heinemann, Johannesburg 2010] Authors: Meahabo Magano, Pieter Mostert & Gert van der Westhuizen In this book we describe 25 different conversation types, to be practised in the class room. The book draws on Socrates, Vygotsky and others, as well as African oral traditions. We show how in learning conversations learners can explore a wide range of topics by working together towards a shared outcome: to learn about themselves and the world.
Level 4 (4)
Georgina Donati
Location: London
Certification: Level 4
Degree Qualifications
PhD student Neuroscience and Behavioural Genetics at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development. MA Educational Neuroscience from BBK and UCL Institute of Education BA Hons International Philosophy major from Leeds University
Short CV
Georgina first trained with the Philosophy Foundation at the beginning of 2009 after writing her dissertation on the importance of doing philosophy with children. She has worked with the Philosophy Foundation in teaching, training and curriculum development as well as part of the Senior Leadership Team, helping with fund-raising and business development. Georgina is currently doing a PhD in Neuroscience and behavioural genetics as applied to development and education.
David Birch
Location: London
Certification: Level 4
Degree Qualifications
MA (hons), MLitt, Philosophy, University of St Andrews
Grace Lockrobin
Location: Sheffield
Certification: Level 4
Degree Qualifications
BA (Hons) Philosophy First Class - University of Leeds 2005 MA Philosophy with Merit - University of Leeds, 2007 (Recipient of Philosophy School Scholarship) PhD Philosophy Institute of Education (Ongoing) (Awarded full ESRC Scholarship) Philosophy Foundation Stage 1 Also SAPERE Level 1, 2 & 3. Accredited Trainer
Short CV
Grace is a freelance philosophy teacher and consultant working in schools and communities. She established Thinking Space in 2008 believing that philosophical dialogue and enquiry can help people think and communicate their thinking more clearly. Since then Thinking Space have delivered creative projects across the UK in collaboration with The Wellcome Trust, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Cape UK. She is a Teaching Fellow at the University of Leeds were she lectures 'Leeds Philosophy Exchange' a programme she set up that places philosophy students in local schools. She also teaches philosophy and applied ethics. She is currently studying for a Doctorate in Philosophy of Education at the Institute of Education UCL on the puzzle of how we teach people to be good. Grace has worked with young people for twelve years in a range of settings from nursery schools to medical schools, but she’s not always hard at it, occasionally you’ll also find her reading novels, going to gigs, climbing hills, making soup, writing in notebooks and fast asleep.
Published Work
EDITED VOLUMES: Fulford, A., Lockrobin G. and Smith, R. eds. 2020. Philosophy and Community: Theories, Practice and Possibilities. London: Bloomsbury. JOURNAL ARTICLES: Robinson, G. 2016. Feeling the Pull: Ethical Enquiry and the Tension it Creates for Teachers. In: Analytic Teaching and Philosophical Praxis. 36(1) pp. 44-54. Robinson, G. 2014. The Stories we live by: Narrative in Ethical Enquiry with Children. In: Childhood and Philosophy. 10(20) pp. 305-330 BOOK CHAPTERS: Robinson, G. C. and Lewis, L. 2016. Higher Education: Learning and Teaching Strategy. In: Philosophy for Children in Teacher Education: Creating the Conditions for Learning. London: Routledge.
Tim Beardmore-Gray
Location: London
Certification: Level 4
Degree Qualifications
Master of Philosophical Studies - King's College London (2017). First Class MA in Philosophy - Edinburgh University (2012).
Short CV
Facilitating philosophy online and in school with The Philosophy Foundation, as well as mentoring new trainees. I also work as a freelance editor for Philosophy Now magazine on their Ultimate Guide series.
Level 3 (8)
Donal Coonan
Location: London
Certification: Level 3
Degree Qualifications
BA (2:1) in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Oxford University).
Short CV
Donal completed his degree in 2004 and then spent a year teaching English to children as young as two years old in Japan. Since then, he has been working as a private tutor for children in London. He is also a theatre practitioner, having trained at the prestigious L'Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris, and is particularly interested in the capacity of play to engage children with their learning. He was certified at Level 2 in November 2012 and the skills he picked up doing this has assisted tremendously with his tutoring. He now also works as a philosophy facilitator and is excited about the huge potential of philosophy to assist the thinking skills of children from all backgrounds.
Philip Gaydon
Location: London
Certification: Level 3
Degree Qualifications
BA Philosophy MA Philosophy and Literature PhD Philosophy and Children's Literature (Current)
Short CV
Phil first trained with the Philosophy Foundation in 2013 whilst doing his PhD in philosophy and children's literature at Warwick University. His thesis concerns exploring the notion of the 'childlike learner' in nineteenth-century children's literature and the role this idea can play in contemporary theories of knowledge and education. He continues to do his PhD part time and work in local schools whilst also doing various other pedagogical roles at the university such as module leader, seminar tutor, staff and student support officer, and women's american football coach. He is currently designing university modules on imagination, creativity, and ethics and children's literature. All of this draws upon and gives back to the principles of The Philosophy Foundation.
Published Work
Phil contributed to The Philosophy Foundation's book 'The Philosophy Shop', has written poetry for the journal 'PHIction: A Journal of Philosophy in Literary Arts', and has an essay forthcoming in the collection 'Philosophical Approaches to Children's Literature' called 'Nostalgia and a childlike epistemology'. He has also given various talks on the childlike learner, pedagogical methods when working with students and staff, testimony and trust in children's literature, and the role of children's literature in philosophy.
Marsali Gray
Location: Marlborough
Certification: Level 3
Degree Qualifications
BA hons Philosophy King's College London
Louise Chatterton
Certification: Level 3
Degree Qualifications
BA (Hons.) Philosophy and Music (1st Class), University of Leeds. My degree included two elective Education modules: 'Processes of Learning: Thinking and Knowing' and 'Contexts For Learning'.
Short CV
Since completing my training with The Philosophy Foundation at the end of 2016, I have facilitated philosophical enquiries with preschool-aged children, primary school classes and secondary school groups, as well as adults. I love ‘doing’ philosophy and helping others to do it too. For me, philosophy isn’t this dry, technical, methodical exercise in abstraction; it can be a vibrant, exciting, shared endeavour, one that’s connected importantly to people’s lives and in which anyone can partake.
Zoe Drewitt
Location: London
Certification: Level 3
Degree Qualifications
MA Philosophy, University College London BA (Hons) Philosophy, University College London
Henrik Sherling
Level 2 (35)
Melina Lafirenze
Location: St neots
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
BA Honors Philosophy and Spanish - Middlesex University and Salamanca University TEFL training - BLC Madrid
Short CV
TEFL teaching experience with children of all ages and adults. 2000- 2004 Translation from and into Italian and Spanish. Running own business since 2001
Neil Wilcock
Location: London
Certification: Level 2
Short CV
I have been working with the Philosophy Foundation since 2015. Inspired by my daughter I was very keen to translate PhiE into the early years classroom and as such have worked mostly in the early years setting. I have recently completed my PhD at the University of Chichester which was jointly supervised by the philosophy department and the institute of education. In my thesis I explore the tension between the individual and society and the role of education in resolving that tension. This research directly informs my practice in the classroom and I enjoy the feedback loop between what I learn through theory and what I learn from the children themselves.
Published Work
'The Incoherence of the Interactional and Institutional within Freire's Politco-Educational Project', Studies in Philosophy and Education, 39, 399-414 (2020). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11217-020-09714-z
Tugce Buyukugurlu
Location: İstanbul
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
BA(Hon) Classics, MA Classics - Dissertation: Kinds Of Learning In Augustine's "The Teacher"
Short CV
Tuğçe Büyükuğurlu, has a graduate and an MA degree from İstanbul University Classics department, Latin Language and Literature. She had Philosophy with Children training to an advanced level from The Philosophy Foundation, SAPERE and Dialogue Works. She works actively in the field both teaching in classrooms/workshops/online courses from pre-school to high school with children & adults. She founded and runs Philotopia where she actively trains teachers on P4C, organizes PhiloTalks seminars with world renowned P4C experts to meet with Turkish educators. She also teaches the Philosophy with Children course in the MEF University Faculty of Education. She’s a working board member of SOPHIA (The European Foundation for the Advancement of Doing Philosophy with Children) and a published children's books author. She aims to work to improve the Philosophy for/with Children in Turkey.
Published Work
Thought Experiment Series (Masalperest Publishing) Whatever You Want Machine (Ne İstersen Makinesi) The Desert Prince and Ice (Çöl Prensi ve Buz) The Hole In The Simit (Simidin Ortası)
Jovan Zivkovic
Location: London
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
King's College London(2015-2019) - MA Philosophy
Short CV
2015 - Present Tutoring Math, Sciences and English from Primary School to A-Level
Lea Bourguignon
Location: London
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
Mphil/Phd Philosophy, UCL (current); MSc Philosophy and Public Policy , LSE; BA (Hons.) Modern History and Politics, RHUL
Francine Else
Stephen Small
Location: Glasgow
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
MA Hons (Philosophy) - Glasgow University
JC Wright
Location: Woodland Hills
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
M.A. in Philosophy B.A. in Philosophy
James Sikkema
Location: Hamilton
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
2015: PhD, Philosophy, McMaster University Dissertation: Virtual Mereology: Power, Affect, and Relation in Spinoza’s ‘Ethics’ 2011: MPhil, Theology & Religious Studies, University of Bristol Thesis: In an Ineffable Way and In Infinite Ways: Thinking Ex Nihilo Creatio with John Scotus Eriugena 2008: MA, Philosophy, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles 2006: BA, Philosophy and History, Redeemer University College
Isabella Fausti
Location: Aberdeen
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
2017 - MSc Philosophy (University of Edinburgh); 2016 - MA (Hons) Film & Visual Culture - Philosophy (University of Aberdeen).
Short CV
I first became aware of P4C during my undergraduate degree and trained with the Aberdeen Philosophy in Education Group (APEG). In September 2017 I completed the Stage 1 Course with TPF and became an Accredited Specialist Philosophy Teacher in early 2018. I also work in eLearning at the University of Aberdeen.
Louise Conway
Location: Amsterdam
Certification: Level 2
Degree Qualifications
Philosophy and Sociology, Bachelors Degree, Trinity College Dublin
Level 1 (30)
Michael Deval
Location: Cardiff
Certification: Level 1
Short CV
.Language Teacher . Education Administration . Director Charity .Voluntary Sector Trainer
Lukasz Krzywon
Location: Cong
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
MA in Philosophy, Silesian University, Poland, FETAC 4 Renewable Energy FETAC 5 Childcare, FETAC 6 Play Therapy Skills
Published Work
Ukryty Blask, KOS, Katowice, 2005 (Hidden Shine, KOS, Katowice, Poland, 2005) Filozofuj z dziećmi. Poradnik do prowadzenia dociekań filozoficznych z dziećmi i młodzieżą., Academicon, Lublin, 2019 (Philosophise with children. Handbook for facilitating philosophical inquiry with children and young people., Academicon, Lublin, Poland, 2019
Yara Vrolijks
Location: London
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
King's College MA Philosophy (currently studying; 2018-2019), BA Liberal Arts and Sciences - University College Utrecht (2013-2016)
Danielle Diver
Location: Birmingham
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
Joint honours Philosophy and English Literature 2:1 (University of Glasgow); MSc Philosophy with Distinction (University of Glasgow); MA Social Research with Merit (University of Birmingham). Currently enrolled in a philosophy of education PhD program at the University of Birmingham.
Published Work
(2022) 'Philosothons: Rewarding Collaborative Thinking', Journal of Philosophy in Schools. https://jps.bham.ac.uk/articles/10.46707/jps.9ii.145
Banuhan Guvenir
Location: Istanbul
Certification: Level 1
Short CV
English Language and Lıterature (B.A.Ege University,1990) Pedagocical Formation Certificate for Teaching /Ege University ,1990 Philosophy (Istanbul University,B.A .2018-ongoing) Philosophy (Maltepe University,master study 2021,ongoing) P4C Teacher Training Certificate (Boğaziçi University,2018)
DALIA TOONSI
Location: jeddah
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
MA sociology of childhood, Cardiff university
Short CV
-in 2011, I took my Master Degree in Education with a focus on moral reasoning and P4C. Faculty of Social Science, Cardiff University, United Kingdom. Then in 2013, I published my master's thesis '' the effect of a structured intervention about moral dilemmas on children's moral reasoning'' as a book in Arabic with the title ' moral reasoning between constructivests and relativists, Arab network for research and publishing. With a whole chapter explaining about P4c as an interventional educational tool to improve moral reasoning in children. I started my P4C program in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2012. It was a small group of children and adults but the first of its kind in Saudi. At the time (and to some extent - to this day), philosophy was censored and taboo by the government and society alike. Nevertheless, I took the cautious – and experimental - step of introducing p4c to accommodate my culture. Since then, I have progressed my P4C training up to Level 3 (Advanced Theory) and have grown my program significantly. Regionally, I remain a unique and pioneering in adapting this unique educational tool. In 2017-2018 I established an educational consultancy firm in order to be able to deliver P4c to Saudi schools and finely in 2018 I received a philosophy teacher certificate accredit from TPF
Published Work
' moral reasoning between constructivests and relativists, Arab network for research and publishing The Book of Questions 2016 (An illustrated compilation of questions asked by Saudi children during P4C sessions), Arwa al Arabia publisher, recently longlisted for the Sheikh Zayed children's book award: 2017; Jazerat Al Awraq (Island of Papers) (a modern adaptation of the philosophical storytelling of Hey Bin Yakzan written by Ibn Tufayl which discusses the philosophy of language), Takween publisher: 2018;
Paul Knights
Location: Hebden Bridge
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
PhD in Philosophy, University of Manchester, 2012. MA in Philosophy (Distinction), Lancaster University, 2007. MA (Hons) in Mental Philosophy (First Class), University of Edinburgh, 2006.
Short CV
I was drawn to philosophy after years thinking about the ethics and values around the human relationship with the natural environment while working in practical nature conservation. Through my undergraduate dissertation, Masters and PhD, I applied philosophical analysis to environmental questions. After my PhD, I did seven years of postdoctoral research on ethics and environmental policy, both on a major European interdisciplinary project and, latterly, with a personal fellowship from the British Academy. I always enjoyed the teaching side of academia; both undergraduate seminars and delivering an environmental philosophy module that I designed and wrote myself. When I felt it was time to make a change from academia and wanted to find a new way to use philosophy to do some good, working with The Philosophy Foundation was the natural choice.
Paul Curtis
Location: Cambridge
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
BA hons in Philosophy and Psychological studies. PhD in philosophy from Bangor university
Short CV
I have spent most of my working life as a pilot, flying the Boeing 747 for the last 16 years. I became interested in philosophy in 2008 and pursued a BA degree with the Open University in Philosophy and Psychological studies, after completing an A level. After obtaining first class honours I decided to continue my philosophical research and obtained a PhD from Bangor university in Feb 22. My area of research was Naturalistic Metaethics, asking what science tells us about morality and whether morality and good and evil have a natural basis. I also work part time with Anglia Ruskin University as an Associate Lecturer in Philosophy.
William Hartley
Location: Saffron Walden
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
MA Philosophy Birkbeck PGCE Cambridge University
Short CV
Has taught Philosophy in Schools, Home School settings and Co-operatives. I started PhilsophyInThePub in 2012 to engage with Philosophy in the Community. My MA Thesis is looking into notions of Domination and erosions of freedom as posed by social media companies.
Published Work
Research for New Philosopher Magazine
James Stokes
Location: London
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
2:1 in BA Philosophy (King's College, London)
Short CV
While completing my Bachelors degree in Philosophy at King's College, London, where I was trained as a Stage 1 Philosophy Specialist, I worked each summer as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language for Oxford International Education Group. I re-trained as a Stage 1 Philosophy Specialist in October 2020, having not sessions in a while. I currently live in Cricklewood/Willesden Green. I am currently working as a copywriter and in the future I will train as a Psychotherapist.
Laura Bogucki
Location: Glasgow
Certification: Level 1
Degree Qualifications
MA (hons) Mental Philosophy (Aberdeen); Master of Laws (LL.M) Human Rights Law (Strathclyde); MSW Social Work (Dundee); Professional Graduate Diploma Education (PGDE) Secondary RMPS (Strathclyde)
What does our certification mean?
Senior Team - our most experienced specialists able to work with any age group from EY upwards and train teachers in Enquiry and questioning skills
Level 4 - is experienced at working with children from KS1 and above, some experience with EY and training teachers
Level 3 - has passed our Stage 2 training and is able to work with KS1 and above
Level 2 - has passed our Stage 1 training to a high standard and is experienced at working with KS2 and above
Level 1 - has passed our Stage 1 training and is able to work with KS2 and above
