Rugby School has appointed its first Philosopher in Residence, Emma Williams, and set up a Philosophy Zone, says the Daily Telegraph. The idea is to help students working on their Extended Projects – a new qualification equivalent to an AS level - by providing an introduction to philosophical ideas and debates.

This should make the transition from school to university less daunting for the teenagers, as the Extended Project involves a university style 6000 word dissertation and a ten-minute presentation.

Rugby is sharing this new initiative with a number of neighbouring schools. If successful, it could be rolled out nationally and even internationally through the development of a philosophy e-zone.