Professional learning paper: Significant Aspects of Learning
Assessing progress and achievement in Religious and Moral
Education
The work in progress on Significant Aspects of Learning was reviewed in June and July
2015 in the light of feedback from practitioners, schools and education authorities and in
the context of developments in national education policy. This has led to a number of
changes both in the overarching paper and in each of the papers related to an area of the
curriculum.
Within each of the curriculum area papers changes include:
• the addition of two sections which set the context for the work on significant
aspects of learning
• the addition of references, wherever appropriate, to the relationship between
significant aspects of learning and the development of skills for learning life and
work, literacy and numeracy and digital competencies
• changes (usually minor) to the definition and illustration of the significant aspects
of learning in that area
• the use of a common format in the presentation of the significant aspects of
learning
• the insertion of hyperlinks to texts referenced in the paper.
Explanatory notes are included throughout this paper.
Preface
This preface has been added to each paper. Feedback from practitioners made it clear that the
original papers lacked a clear initial statement of context and purpose.
This paper is one element of a suite of resources which support assessment of progress and
achievement. You are recommended to read this paper in conjunction with the following:
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Monitoring and tracking progress and achievement in the broad general education:
bit.ly/edscotapasal
Assessing progress and achievement overarching paper
Religious and moral education progression framework
Annotated exemplification of work in religious and moral education: bit.ly/edscotsal-rme
This resource supplements the Religious and Moral Education Principles and Practice paper and
Experiences and Outcomes. These can be found on the religious and moral education homepage at:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningandteaching/curriculumareas/rme/index.asp.
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Introduction
The introduction to each paper has been revised as necessary to make clearer links to the
Principles and Practice paper which identifies the key aims of learning in the relevant
curriculum area.
The Principles and Practice paper in religious and moral education summarises the educational
rationale underpinning the right of all children and young people to enjoy and benefit from the
uniquely valuable experience of learning in religious and moral education throughout their Broad
General Education and throughout the senior phase in line with statutory requirements. Slightly
amended, it states:
Religious and moral education enables children and young people to explore the world’s
major religions and views which are independent of religious belief and to consider the
challenges posed by these beliefs and values. It supports them in developing and reflecting
upon their values and their capacity for moral judgement. Through developing awareness
and appreciation of the value of each individual in a diverse society, religious and moral
education engenders responsible attitudes to other people…
Children and young people should become aware that beliefs and values are fundamental to
families and to communities, local and global. There is an intrinsic value in learning about
religion and beliefs as well as learning from religion and beliefs, as children and young people
develop their understanding of our society and their own roles in it. The skills of reflection
and critical thinking and an enhanced understanding of the beliefs and values of others are
all crucial in assisting in this process.
This paper builds on this statement by making use of significant aspects of learning to support
practitioners in carrying out dependable valid, reliable and challenging assessment of progress and
achievement in religious and moral education. Such assessment in religious and moral education
helps children and young people to reflect on how well they understand the unique contributions of
religion and belief to individuals and communities. High quality feedback on their responses will
support children and young people to recognise and reflect on how their personal beliefs and values
are shaped by what is important to others and to themselves. Children and young people who
progress in religious and moral education will be able to demonstrate this learning in a range of
contexts. This paper provides:
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a description of the significant aspects of learning within religious and moral education
an outline of what breadth, challenge and application look like within religious and moral
education
information on planning for progression through curriculum levels, using breadth, challenge
and application.
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What are significant aspects of learning?
The overarching paper in this professional learning resource contains a section on ‘What are
the significant aspects of learning?’ Feedback suggested strongly that it would be helpful to
practitioners as they refer to and use the curriculum area papers to have a slightly abridged
version of this section included in each curriculum area paper.
Significant aspects of learning have been identified for each curriculum area to support practitioners
in assessing progress and achievement. Each significant aspect of learning brings together a
coherent body of knowledge and understanding and related skills, as outlined in the Principles and
Practice paper and detailed in the Experiences and Outcomes. Each significant aspect of learning
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is common to all levels from early to fourth
can provide sound evidence of learning in accord with the principles of Building the
Curriculum 5: A Framework for Assessment
supports the practice of holistic (‘best fit’) assessment
can be effectively used to inform assessment of progression within a level and achievement
of a level
can be used to plan further progression within a level and from one level to the next.
Using significant aspects of learning makes assessing progress and achievement more dependable
and more manageable. This structure:
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supports practitioners in planning and integrating learning, teaching and assessment
ensures that learners and practitioners can draw on a range of meaningful, robust, valid and
reliable evidence from all four contexts of learning
affords learners space to demonstrate the breadth of their learning, effective responses to
challenging learning experiences and the ability to apply what they have learned in new and
unfamiliar situations
allows learners to progress by different routes and pathways through the experiences and
outcomes
helps practitioners avoid fragmented approaches to assessment which prevent learners
from demonstrating the full range of their knowledge, understanding and skills
removes the need to rely on evidence derived from single brief learning experiences or end
of unit tests
affords practitioners opportunities to plan and assess within a curricular area the
development of the skills, attributes and capabilities required for learning, life and work,
including the development of literacy, numeracy and digital competencies
supports practitioners in making holistic (‘best fit’) judgements about the achievement of a
level either in an individual significant aspect of learning or, drawing on evidence from
across the relevant significant aspects of learning, in a curriculum area.
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The use of significant aspects of learning will inform:
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moderation activities based on holistic judgements supported by dependable evidence
monitoring and tracking progress in learning
quality assurance approaches
the use of assessment to inform improvement at all levels of the education system.
Significant aspects of learning in religious and moral education
A number of minor changes have been made in this section:
• the significant aspects are presented as a bold bullet pointed list
• numbering of significant aspects of learning has been removed; there were concerns
that numbering could be interpreted as an order of priority
• minor changes have been made in the italicised text and to the final paragraph.
Successful learning in religious and moral education encompasses knowledge and understanding,
skills, attributes and capabilities relating to religion, beliefs and morality. Growing up in an
increasingly diverse Scottish society our children and young people are entitled to develop the
knowledge and skills they need to navigate a multi-cultural, multi-faith landscape, confident that
their own beliefs and values matter. A deepening awareness of others and of self will support
children and young people to respond responsibly to a range of social and moral issues at a local and
national level. Learning in religious and moral education enables children and young people to
understand, analyse and evaluate the possible causes and consequences of different actions and
attitudes.
Effective planning for religious and moral education will embed the experiences and outcomes for
Developing Beliefs and Values within learning about Christianity, World Religions and other belief
groups and will support effective learning of appropriate aspects of literacy, numeracy and health
and wellbeing 1.
Within this context, to benefit learners, assessment in religious and moral education needs to gather
evidence of and provide feedback on:
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the extent of children and young people’s knowledge and understanding of Christianity,
World Religions and other belief groups
the quality of children and young people’s personal reflections about the importance of
beliefs, values, practices and traditions for individuals, families and local and global
communities
the extent to which children and young people can express their own developing beliefs,
values, practices and traditions.
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Further guidance on this approach can be found in the resource Planning for Learning, Teaching and
Assessment in Religious and Moral Education.
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The Principles and Practice paper supports assessment of this learning by helping to identify
significant aspects of learning:
Learning about religion, beliefs and morality:
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understanding the religious and cultural diversity of Scotland and across the world through
learning about Christianity, World Religions and other stances for living
recognising religion and belief as significant factors which have shaped our social, political
and spiritual heritage
investigating beliefs, values, issues, traditions and practices through a range of primary
and secondary sources
encountering diversity through contact with people of faith and those with other belief
perspectives
being able to describe and explain features of moral issues and moral decision making.
Learning from religion, beliefs and morality:
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experiencing a sense of awe and wonder about what it means to be human, the nature of
the world we live in, the interconnectedness of it all and developing a deepening sense of
spiritual awareness
appreciating the importance of respect for the beliefs, values and traditions of others and
being able to demonstrate this
developing the skills and attributes to make well-judged moral and ethical decisions and to
justify personal beliefs and values
engaging in a process of personal reflection leading to a deeper understanding of personal
beliefs and ideas about meaning, value and purpose in life.
As children and young people deepen their understanding of religion, beliefs and morality through
these significant aspects of learning they will develop a range of skills and improve how they
describe, explain, analyse, evaluate and reflect on their learning. They will extend their
understanding of the values of wisdom, compassion, justice and integrity which underpin curriculum
for excellence and which are shared by all of the world’s major faith communities. Learning and
assessment in religious and moral education should encourage learners to make connections across
learning so they understand better the relationships between beliefs, practices, traditions, values,
issues and moral responses.
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What do breadth, challenge and application look like in religious and moral education?
Apart from the inclusion of references to ‘digital competencies’, there are no changes to this
section.
Children and young people take an active part in planning, managing and assessing their learning,
using high quality, relevant and challenging resources. This is extremely important since this
curriculum area specifically invites children and young people to bring aspects of their self into their
learning to deepen their reflections on ‘big questions’ of meaning, value and purpose in life. A
positive ethos and mutually respectful relationships are crucially important for successful religious
and moral education. Only in a supportive and secure environment will children and young people
feel confident in sharing personal reflections about such ultimate questions and significant moral
issues. They make meaningful use of their digital competencies to access learning about the wide
range of religions, beliefs and values that exist in the multi-cultural society of which they are
members.
Breadth
Breadth in religious and moral education relates to:
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learning across a range of religious and moral perspectives from a variety of sources
understanding the diversity of beliefs, practices and traditions within and across Christianity,
World Religions and other belief groups
the development of skills to research, analyse, evaluate and reflect on the implications of
living according to beliefs and moral values.
Through such a broad approach, children and young people will deepen their understanding of the
big ideas and often abstract concepts which shape and influence people. Their learning takes them
into the wealth of scripture, stories, teachings, people and sacred places. They are encouraged to
explore significant religious, moral and philosophical questions such as those around the existence
of God, the meaning of suffering, and the nature of human existence through a number of different
lenses and to reflect on the different viewpoints they encounter. These rich learning opportunities
within religious and moral education support children and young people to appreciate others and to
develop as citizens who respect difference and respond appropriately when such difference
challenges their own thinking. In line with the principle of personalisation and choice, children and
young people should be supported to plan aspects of their own learning in religious and moral
education. Staff should encourage them to broaden their learning through investigating the beliefs,
values, practices and traditions within their own local community and to widen their learning to
consider how these relate to national and global contexts. This could be achieved, for example,
through investigating how different local Christian denominations celebrate the resurrection. As
children and young people make increasing progress in their investigating and analytical skills and
deepen understanding, their studies can be further broadened by examining Christianity in different
parts of the world. Studying any religious or moral issue through a range of viewpoints creates
breadth. Learning should increasingly enable children and young people to reflect on issues such as
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wealth and poverty, medical ethics, human rights and globalisation by studying the views of a
number of different religions and also viewpoints independent of religious belief. The range of
different views is likely to increase in breadth as children and young people progress but will always
depend on the needs and abilities of individuals and groups of learners.
Challenge
Challenge in religious and moral education relates to:
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increasing complexity of sources, including in terms of variety, length, style and language
developing and demonstrating increased independence in skills including planning and
conducting increasingly complex investigations with minimum teacher support
confidence in expressing and drawing on appropriate sources to support a personal stance
on religious, philosophical and moral issues
increasing detail, complexity and accuracy of responses demonstrating sound knowledge
and understanding
strengthening awareness of self and others, demonstrated in oral and written reflection
using questioning to improve discussion skills and respond to others’ views
weighing up evidence, arguments and viewpoints from different sources to support a
conclusion
analysis of increasingly complex scenarios and abstract concepts.
Children and young people are challenged in their learning when they are exposed to new points of
view and expected to think about how these relate to their own experiences. This diversity can be
identified within a class, school or wider local community as well as from further afield. Learning
should include regular opportunities for classroom discussion in pairs and small groups. It is
important that learners are given freedom and time to tease out issues and concepts and asked to
explain and justify their views. Such discussion supports the reflection which is necessary to learn
from religion. Children and young people should work independently and in groups to investigate
religious beliefs, practices and traditions. This enables them to develop independence in research
and to engage on a personal level with the information and ideas they encounter in religious and
moral education. Class visitors can introduce challenge through presenting alternative viewpoints
and lifestyles for discussion and further research and reflection. Effective use of the internet can
provide access to learning about wider aspects of faith and beliefs which children and young people
might not encounter in their local community.
Application
Application in religious and moral education relates to:
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the ability to analyse and evaluate religious and moral issues with increasing independence
using skills practiced and developed over time
increasing confidence in interpreting religious symbolism and abstract ideas
comparing and contrasting the implications of different viewpoints and actions
being able to imagine and understand the consequences of people’s beliefs and behaviours
demonstrating commitment to personal beliefs and values through words and actions
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linking arguments and information from a variety of sources to build a fuller picture of an
issue or concept.
Using their digital competencies to present viewpoints in different ways enables children and young
people to apply their learning in religious and moral education to new and unfamiliar contexts.
Emotional responses to religious and moral issues and concepts can be explored and presented
through, for example, drama, dance and music. Creative and persuasive writing and presentation
skills are important for enabling learners to explore and share their understanding with others.
Encouraging children and young people to be creative and intuitive when expressing their responses
is an important aspect of religious and moral education. It supports them to apply their learning and
can evoke a sense of awe and wonder. Learners can apply their developing knowledge and
understanding of religion, beliefs and morality to support their understanding of beliefs, practices
and traditions which are unfamiliar to them. A significant aspect of learning in religious and moral
education is the need for opportunities to put the learner’s developing beliefs and values into
practice. This could be achieved through participation in the ethos and life of the school or wider
community through volunteering, campaigning and fundraising. As a result, learners develop
important transferable skills for learning, life and work.
Planning for progression through breadth, challenge and application in religious and moral
education
Apart from some development of text of the final paragraph, there are no changes to this
section.
The framework of experiences and outcomes for religious and moral education provides a rich
resource for staff to plan contexts which are challenging, relevant and motivating. It should be used
to plan learning about religion and beliefs and learning from religion and beliefs. The experiences
and outcomes for Developing Beliefs and Values should be woven into learning about Christianity,
World Religions and other belief groups. This could be a detailed study of one religion or a
comparative study looking at how different religions and viewpoints respond to an issue or concept.
Progression in learning should be evident in the ways that children and young people demonstrate
breadth, challenge and application through the significant aspects of learning.
Progression in learning about religion, beliefs and morality involves:
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Understanding the religious and cultural diversity of Scotland and across the world through
learning about Christianity, World Religions and other stances for living
Children and young people increasingly understand the complexity of religious belief, practices and
traditions which can be found across Scotland and in the wider world. They link their learning about
different aspects of faith and belief to build an increasingly holistic picture of the major World
Religions and other stances for living. They demonstrate knowledge of what it means to be, for
example, a Muslim, Christian or Hindu and how members of these communities show their beliefs in
the ways they live.
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Recognising religion and belief as significant factors which have shaped our social, political
and spiritual heritage
Children and young people increasingly understand the perceived benefits of having or not having a
personal belief-system and strengthen their awareness of how religions and beliefs impact on our
cultural and civic life. They understand that religion and belief is not isolated from daily life. They
explore the past influences of religion and belief on our Scottish heritage and recognise how the
spiritual and cultural aspects of society develop and change as a result of the changing belief
landscape. They see religion and belief as organic and relevant to all aspects of life past and present.
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Investigating beliefs, values, issues, traditions and practices through a range of primary and
secondary sources
At the early level children listen to religious and other stories and hear people talking about their
beliefs. They learn to think about the meaning of stories and what can be learned from them. As
they make progress, their access to scripture and a wide range of texts increases. Young people learn
to interpret increasingly complex texts which deepen their understanding of religious and
philosophical concepts. They explore the teachings and writings of leading religious thinkers and
philosophers. Well-developed investigation skills are central to many aspects of working life.
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Encountering diversity through contact with people of faith and those with other belief
perspectives
Young children learn about beliefs and values from the people around them. Their learning in
religious and moral education should be planned so that they are introduced to a broad range of
people of different faiths and different perspectives on life. Such encounters might take place in the
classroom or through visits in the local community or through the use of digital communication.
Diversity can be exemplified within a religion/belief-system or across different religions/beliefsystems. As young people progress in their learning the range of people and viewpoints they come
into direct contact with increases. As a result of this increasing breadth of experience, young people
develop confidence in their interactions with people from different faiths and backgrounds. Their
learning is characterised by an increasing interest in the religious and cultural diversity of Scottish
society and the wider world, which will support learners in developing effective interpersonal skills –
crucial to an effective workforce.
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Being able to describe and explain features of moral issues and moral decision making
Children begin their learning about morality in the early years through concepts such as caring,
sharing, kindness and respect for others. They develop an awareness of how their actions affect
others and how the behaviour of others affects them. As they grow and learn, they extend their
understanding of moral decision making through exploring more complex moral issues such as the
sanctity of human life. In many real-life contexts, including working environments, individuals
require the ability to make reasoned and informed moral decisions and to act positively upon those
decisions.
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Progression in learning from religion, beliefs and morality involves:
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Experiencing a sense of awe and wonder about what it means to be human, the nature of the
world we live in, the interconnectedness of it all and developing a deepening sense of spiritual
awareness
Young children often experience awe and wonder as they explore the world around them. As
learners progress through the levels, staff should aim to nurture this fascination with the world and
the universe beyond. Young people are encouraged to raise and respond to questions about the
nature and purpose of our existence and the interconnectedness of life. Through exploring
existential questions they learn to think on different levels about the universe and their place in it.
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Appreciating the importance of respect for the beliefs, values and traditions of others and
being able to demonstrate this
Learning to value people of all faiths and traditions is a significant benefit of religious and moral
education. Children and young people increasingly understand the importance of social cohesion
and demonstrate this through their own respectful attitudes to others. A skilled workforce requires
that individuals interact positively with others, with a developed understanding of their beliefs,
values and traditions.
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Developing the skills and attributes to make well-judged moral and ethical decisions and to
justify personal beliefs and values
As they move through the levels, children and young people should find themselves increasingly
challenged to think critically about their ethical values and morality. As they tackle more complex
moral and ethical situations they learn to weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of a range of
moral arguments and religious viewpoints. This increases their capacity to make well informed moral
judgements with respect to aspects of their own behaviour. Rigorous analysis of complex situations
should support young people to consider the influences, causes and consequences of religious and
moral viewpoints on how people should live and act towards others. The development of skills and
attributes linked to well-judged moral and ethical decisions are important aspects of preparing
learners for life and work. Developing well-reasoned personal beliefs and values is likely to equip
learners to understand how those beliefs and values affect actions, and therefore prepare learners
for contact with a wide range of individuals, groups and situations.
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Engaging in a process of personal reflection leading to a deeper understanding of personal
beliefs and ideas about meaning, value and purpose in life
Religious and moral education should increasingly engage young people in reflection about who they
are, why they exist and what their goals and aspirations are. As they progress in this aspect they are
better able to articulate their personal responses to the existential questions which religion
encourages us to consider. They demonstrate increased confidence in sharing their views during
class and group discussions and in extended writing. They draw on a range of sources to support
their views and clearly communicate their personal stance of living.
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Further specific advice regarding assessment in religious and moral education
There are no changes to this section.
Achievement for all learners is a cornerstone of Scottish education. Learning in religious and moral
education provides important opportunities for learners to experience achievement through a range
of contexts, for example, through a range of accredited programmes and schemes, or through
achievement which is personalised according to each learner’s individual aspirations.
Through high quality learning experiences in religious and moral education children and young
people develop values and attributes such as empathy and respect and deepen their understanding
of self and others. Such experiences can contribute significantly to personal development and
spiritual awareness. The impact of this kind of reflective learning can often be best assessed by the
learner. It would therefore be valuable in religious and moral education to include a learner-led
record, such as a journal or blog, as a central aspect of assessment. For young children, parents can
be encouraged to support learners in developing this journal and evidence might be in the form of
photographs or artwork along with statements about the child’s feelings and responses to
experiences. Prompts such as ‘I can’, ‘I think’, ‘I feel’, ‘I wonder’ can support this process well and
lead to increasingly independent reflection which enables children and young people to share this
aspect of their learning with parents and teachers. Some children and young people will make
responses from their own religious standpoint; others will respond from a viewpoint independent of
religious belief. All responses are valid and will be strengthened as young people learn to justify their
views.
Next Steps
This section has been reworded to stress the value of using all elements of the professional
resource: overarching paper, relevant curriculum area paper(s), progression framework(s) and
annotated exemplification.
Practitioners are encouraged to use this document to support professional dialogue through quality
assurance and moderation activities. It may be used by individuals to inform reflection on practice
and plan for improvement in approaches to supporting learners in their progress and achievement.
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