The Circle: A New Space for Curious Minds
If every plank of a ship is replaced, is it still the same ship? This term, Belhaven pupils are grappling with ancient paradoxes, examining Rothko alongside Renaissance masters, and debating whether a urinal can be art. This is The Circle.
What is The Circle?
The Circle brings together small groups of pupils for seminar-style discussions that explore thought-provoking questions through a wide range of sources, such as art, poetry, philosophy, and logic problems. In each thirty-minute session, six pupils engage with material that they may not typically encounter in their regular lessons.
Each session centres on a unifying theme, explored through multiple angles. Discussion is structured but dynamic, with moments for individual reflection, paired conversation, and whole-group debate. The emphasis is always on the quality of thinking, rather than arriving at any predetermined conclusion.
Our first meeting focused on the myth of Daedalus and Icarus through two very different paintings – one by Bruegel, and another by de Momper – alongside William Carlos Williams’ poem, written in response to Bruegel’s work. Why do we take risks even when we know the dangers? Whose perspective matters in a story?
The second session tackled the deceptively simple question: What is Art? Pupils considered the ancient sculpture, Laocoön and His Sons, Vermeer’s The Girl with a Pearl Earring, Rothko’s Rust and Blue, and then moved their focus to Duchamp’s infamous urinal and Cattelan’s banana taped to a wall. The group debated where the boundaries of art lie, and reflected on who has the power to say what is, or isn’t, art.
The next session for the term will turn to the ancient thought experiment, the Ship of Theseus – if you replace every plank of a ship, is it still the same ship? What does this question suggest about the concept of identity?
Who is it for and why does it matter?
The Circle is open to all Prep school pupils in Forms 1-5, with places filled by those who express their interest. Sessions are designed to challenge and engage, inviting pupils to develop their analytical voices, listen carefully to their peers, and build confidence in articulating complex ideas. All aspects of the Belhaven Curriculum Circle –Courage, Courtesy, Creativity, and Knowledge, Questioning, and Communication – are demonstrated and developed in these sessions.
The Circle is built on a simple belief that is central to Belhaven’s academic approach: that children thrive when they’re trusted with rich, challenging material, and given the guidance, structure, and tools to think critically. The programme complements our existing curriculum by creating a space that is dedicated to the joy of enquiry and discovery.
