Interactive critical-thinking workshops for S5–S6 and sixth-form students
Employers and university admissions boards are not looking for exam machines who can memorise facts. They are looking for students who think — who can construct arguments and proposals in their own unique voice, adapt them in response to new information, and reason critically in novel contexts. These sessions are designed to develop exactly these skills.
During the three-hour school workshop, students will not only interrogate gripping philosophical questions, but also use these as training grounds to hone the intellectual skills that make successful job and university applicants stand out - translating their critical thinking into stronger UCAS applications and more confident interviews.
S5–S6 and KS5 (ages 16-18), with no prior study of philosophy required.
Approximately three hours, including a short break.
Interactive, discussion-led and delivered in person at your school.
Ideally 10–30 students, although the format can be adapted for smaller or larger groups.
£400 within Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. Travel elsewhere is quoted separately.
Enhanced DBS certificate and Disclosure Scotland PVG membership.
Each afternoon combines two complementary sessions, running back-to-back. The philosophy workshop comes first — engaging students in substantive, critical discussion on a contested topic. The admissions coaching follows naturally from it, grounded in the kind of thinking students have just practised.
A 90-minute workshop built around a live, contested philosophical question. Students work through arguments, challenge assumptions, and learn to think clearly under pressure — skills that transfer directly to academic interviews, personal statements, and university-level study.
A focused session on what admissions tutors are actually looking for — how to approach a personal statement with intellectual confidence, and how to demonstrate the kind of thinking that stands out in a competitive field.
The workshop begins with a case study — a philosophical question or scenario designed to generate substantive disagreement in the room. From there, students are guided through the philosophical arguments, counter-examples and thought-experiments that bear on it, learning to identify assumptions, construct positions, and engage with objections.
These are not lectures. Students will argue, move, disagree with each other and me. The aim is not consensus or enlightenment, but an ability to argue and hold uncertainty without retreating blindly to authority or 'common sense'.
No prior knowledge of philosophy is assumed or required. The session is suitable for S5, 26, Year 12 and Year 13 students regardless of their intended degree subject — this will benefit philosophy, law, PPE, and history students alike. The thinking skills developed are not discipline-specific: they are the skills that distinguish perceptive and capable candidates in any field.
The second half of the afternoon turns to university admissions directly. Drawing on the discussion students have just had, we look at how to bring that quality of critical thinking alive within a personal statement, how to seek out opportunities that will set you apart, and balance confidence with epistemic humility both on the page and in interview contexts.
Sessions run for approximately three hours and can be tailored to the specific priorities of your school or cohort. I am available to travel across the UK.
The philosophical component can be selected to suit your students' interests, curriculum or intended degree subjects. Possible questions include:
A tailored medical-ethics workshop is available for aspiring medicine applicants. More specialised topics can be developed for cohorts interested in science, law, politics, PPE, history, English, related humanities or social sciences.
I am a doctoral researcher in philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, with over six years of teaching experience across private tuition, university teaching and academic programmes for secondary-school students.
Alongside teaching, I am a published researcher and international conference speaker. My approach combines academic rigour with accessible, collaborative discussion: students are not simply told what to think, but guided through the process of forming and revising a view for themselves.
Tell me a little about your year group, approximate cohort size and preferred dates, and I will suggest a format and topic suited to your students.