The Centre for Critical Thinking and Ethics is central to the provision of the fearless liberal education that we offer at Newington College.

We are a hub of critical inquiry, having established inter-school events which bring students from across NSW together in collaborative discussion, such as our annual Meeting of Minds and the Sydney Philosothon, which has been running in NSW since 2009.

The most recent Sydney Philosothon on 24 July 2024 was a resounding success. The Centre for Critical Thinking and Ethics joined forces with the Philosophy in Schools Association of NSW to host it. Sixteen teams of students from across the state engaged in a series of collaborative philosophical discussions known as Communities of Inquiry. The calibre of thinking was truly incredible. Well done to all those who participated and congratulations to the individual and team winners, St Andrew’s Cathedral School, James Ruse, Meriden, and Socratic Society. Prizes were generously donated by NewPhilosopher.

Participant Noah (Year 11) said, ‘The competition was incredibly interesting, as it was an opportunity to engage in a discussion format that was both fresh and fruitful. Almost universally, it seems like the first few minutes of each discussion brought challenges in communicating between different styles and values, but it did not take long to gain momentum and collaboratively explore different ideas. It was great to see people of various Year groups and degrees of experience actively participate in the discussion and demonstrate a clear passion and capacity for critical thinking.’

The Centre for Critical Thinking and Ethics serves the Newington and wider community. As leaders in this space, we proudly share our resources and programs with others to increase and improve critical thinking in as many classrooms as we can.