3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
Conversation 1
The aim of this conversation session is to explore school leaders’ responses to the findings of the 3-18 RME impact
review.
Using the summary taken from pages 3-4 of the 3-18 RME Impact Review Report consider the following:
1. Which of the strengths/aspects for development apply in your establishment?
 What has prompted the participant to identify aspects of development/ strengths?
 How does this fit in with the school’s overall self-evaluation strategies?
2. How do you know which of the strengths/aspects for development apply in your establishment?
 Links to school’s own self-evaluation strategies again
 Relationship to local authority review processes? Inspections?
3. How does the design of the curriculum in your establishment lead to the strengths identified and/or the
aspects for development?
 Relates to models of curriculum design and may show variation across sectors
 E.g. timetabling/staffing/ structures in secondary schools
 Place of IDL in secondary
 Structure of delivery in PS – timetabled/ thematic approaches?
4.
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What does effective learning in RE look like? How do you currently evaluate this in your establishment?
How do you know when RE is effective?
How far do pupils know what it means to be good at RE?
Links to assessment, progress etc.
What would typify a great lesson/programme in RE?
5. What is your current/proposed strategy for career-long professional learning for your staff in relation to RE?
 Internal and external approaches to CLPL
 Funding and practical considerations (e.g. cover) when supporting CLPL
 Issues identifying/accessing CLPL in RE?
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
Executive Summary of the RME 3-18 Impact Review (pages 3-4)
Strengths in Religious and Moral Education across Scotland
Overall:
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Scotland has a strong internationally recognised values based framework for learning and teaching
in Religious and Moral Education.
Most children and young people value their learning and enjoy their lessons.
The majority of children and young people contribute confidently to classroom discussion and
debates about local, national and international religious and moral issues.
In the majority of schools, children and young people’s learning is active and engaging. Many
teachers use a range of teaching and learning approaches effectively to motivate learners.
Children and young people often have good opportunities to develop literacy, numeracy and health
and wellbeing through Religious and Moral Education.
Increasingly, effective learning takes place outdoors or with partners in the wider community.
Schools are using an increasing range of awards to accredit achievement in Religious and Moral
Education.
There is continued growth in the number of young people in the senior phase studying national
qualifications courses in Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies (RMPS).
Specifically in non-denominational schools:
 Children and young people increasingly engage in learning about religions and beliefs relevant to
their local community as schools continue to de-clutter the curriculum.
 Children in pre-school often engage in learning which encourages them to share beliefs and family
traditions.
Specifically in Roman Catholic schools:
 Most children and young people think that Religious Education supports them well in their own
faith development.
 Children and young people are increasing their understanding of the importance of prayer and
reflection. Most children at the primary stages are developing well their knowledge and
understanding of Catholicism.
 Schools have a clear progression framework for RERC through This Is Our Faith.
 Religious Education is often central to the life and work of the school as a community.
Consequently, children and young people often demonstrate strong awareness of social justice and
the need to serve others.
 Almost all schools deliver an appropriate broad general education and senior phase entitlements for
Religious Education.
 Young people in the senior phase have responded very well to the very successful introduction of
the Caritas Award.
Aspects for development in Religious and Moral Education across Scotland
Overall:
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Not all children and young people experience high-quality teaching and learning. There is scope in
many schools for children and young people to engage in more active, independent and
collaborative learning.
Children and young people need more learning that supports them to develop higher order
thinking skills.
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
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Too often, children and young people are not clear enough about the purposes of their learning
and how to improve their achievements.
 The development of information and communications technology (ICT) skills is not consistently a
well-planned aspect of learning in religious and moral education.
In most schools, arrangements for assessment and moderation of Religious and Moral Education are
at an early stage of development.
Parents require more information about how they can support learning in RE and RERC.
There is much scope for local authorities to improve arrangements for quality assuring RE and RERC
to bring about sustained improvements. The current variation in levels of support for this subject
area are leading to inequity within the quality of delivery and in the amount of time given to the
subject across Scotland.
There are insufficient opportunities for subject specific career long professional learning for teachers
of RE and RERC.
Specifically in non-denominational schools:
 In a significant number of schools, children and young people need more opportunities to
develop their own beliefs and values through learning about a range of religions and other
beliefs.
 Staff’s planning using the experiences and outcomes of Curriculum for Excellence is not
consistently well enough planned to ensure children and young people have a sound grasp of the
significant aspects of learning within RE.
 Young people’s learning from S1 to S3 often lacks sufficient depth and challenge to ensure young
people develop the knowledge and skills embedded within the third and fourth level experiences
and outcomes.
 Across Scotland, there are very few examples of effective planning for progression from P7 to S1.
 In most secondary schools, young people are not receiving their entitlement to religious and
moral education in the senior phase. Only a few schools have appropriate arrangements in place
for S5 and S6. Increasingly young people in S4 do not have enough experiences of RE.
Specifically in Roman Catholic schools:
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Improvements to RERC in the senior phase are at an early stage in most schools. Young people from
S4 to S6 require better planned opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the
Roman Catholic faith, Christianity more widely and of other world religions.
In many schools, there is scope to further strengthen partnership working with parents and the parish
community to extend learning and achievement.
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
Workshop 1A: Is RE working well in your school?
Key questions for consideration:
1. How effective is RE provision in your school?
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Definitions of effective?
Use of HGIOS in relation to RE and other ES documentation?
Methods of self-evaluation?
Staff/parent/pupil perspectives?
2. What evidence do you gather about the effectiveness of learning and teaching in RE in your school?
 Standards and quality reports?
 Local authority reviews?
 Learning and teaching journals?
 TLCs?
 Peer observation
 GTCS professional standards?
 How systematic is any review of RE?
3. How do those delivering RE in your school evaluate learning and teaching in RE and liaise with school
leaders about this?
 Learning and teaching journals?
 CLPL/professional development records
 Professional Review and Development
 Practitioner research
4. How would you define and exemplify ‘quality RE’?
 Definitions of quality
 Quality in RE compared with other curricular areas
 Measurement issues – everything measurable?
 How is improvement captured and used to promote further improvement?
5. What improvements would you like to make to RE in your school and how will you go about this?
 Measurement of improvement in RE
 How far does school community have common vision of RE?
 Parental/pupil/school partner involvement?
 Motivations for improvement/internal/external
6. What support would you welcome to improve RE in your school from your authority/Education
Scotland?
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
Workshop 1B: Developing transitions to ensure continuity and progression for all learners
Key Questions for consideration:
1. In what ways is transition and progression in RE similar to/different from transition in other curricular
areas?
 Any issues unique to RE?
 Use of same topic areas/ festivals events etc. over various stages (e.g. Easter x 7 years of PS?)
 Increase of cognitive load if same topics/ events used as focus of learning and teaching
2. What issues do these key transition points in RE raise?
 Ensuring progression through/starting points at next stage of each transition
 Methods of communication across transition stages
 Pupil records/ reporting etc.
 Parental information and involvement
 Multi-agency communication?
 Ensuring that subsequent stage builds upon previous one
3. In what ways have you addressed the issues raised by these key transition points?
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What has prompted need to address issues?
i.e. how have issues been identified?
Role of recording and reporting
Learner/teacher dialogue? Professional dialogue?
Examples of good practice which reduce bureaucracy?
4. How do you plan to improve transition and progression in RE?
 Practical ways for transition stages to liaise?
 Opportunities for and barriers to such liaison?
 Practical/ non-bureaucratic techniques for improving transition?
5. What support would you welcome to improve transitions and progression in RE in your school from
your authority/Education Scotland?
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
Workshop 2A: Senior Phase RE: Opportunities and Challenges for School Leaders
Key Questions for consideration
1. What opportunities and challenges are presented by RE in the senior phase?
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Relationship between Senior phase RE and SQA RMPS – ensuring suitable level of activity at
this stage?
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Either/or issues - i.e. SQA RMPS or Senior Phase RE?
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Content of courses? Availability of materials?
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Choice element for senior pupils?
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Identifying value of senior phase for young people
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Communications about senior phase RE with parents
2. How can/does curriculum design in the senior phase address the requirement for RE at this stage?
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Timetable design – pressure on timetable
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Staffing issues and resolution
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Ensuring quality delivery and sufficient time allocation
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Practical examples of creative/innovative/effective ways in which schools have been able to
deliver senior phase RE
3. In what ways can young people’s learning in senior phase RE be recognised and accredited?
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Internal/external accreditation
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Use of national schemes which not immediately thought of in relation to RE?
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Skills development/ community work/ IDL approaches
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Double-banking of learning – e.g. more than one award
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The SQA Religion, Beliefs and Values Award
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Community activities
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Mirroring other programmes’ approach – e.g. sports leaders?
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Links to personal statements?
4. How can we ensure that young people are involved in the planning and delivery of senior phase RE?
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Capture practical examples already in place?
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Link to learner reviews etc.?
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
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Pupil councils?
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Senior pupils as RE ambassadors?
Workshop 2B: RE in the Broad General Education
Key questions for consideration
1. How do we plan, record and recognise achievement in RE?
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Definitions of achievement/attainment
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What does achievement in RE look like?
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Recording and reporting processes – any novel approaches?
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Building upon prior learning and experience?
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Flexibility of programme/coverage of Es and Os
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Role of significant aspects of learning as drivers of this process?
2. How can/does effective RE contribute to a positive school ethos?
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Link to values
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Link to RE as reflection of school community and window to world?
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Contribution of RE to a range of school practices and policies? E.g. behaviour policies and
Golden Rule?
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Centrality of RE to school community – what might we be missing if RE only peripheral?
3. How can we ensure that delivery of high quality RE is carried out by appropriately qualified staff?
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GTCS considerations
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CLPL for RE staff
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What is ‘appropriately qualified’?
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Qualifications versus (?) teaching skills?
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Learners as leaders of learning?
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
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Role of RE teaching and learning communities
4. What is the relationship between RE and interdisciplinary learning?
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RE as leader or follower of IDL?
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IDL topics which RE lends itself well to?
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Link to teacher qualifications/skills – i.e. IDL ‘diluting’ expertise?
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Impact of IDL on RE programme
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Novel approaches to the place of RE in IDL
5. How can we ensure that RE meets the needs of all learners?
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Learning styles and abilities – how does/can/should RE address?
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Role of parental beliefs - balance of support/challenge?
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Young people’s own beliefs - balance of support/challenge?
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
RERC Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event
Action points postcard
Name:
School:
THREE ACTION POINTS FOR RE FOR 2014-16
My school
My Authority
Education Scotland
3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Review: Religious & Moral Education
Heads/Depute Heads’ National Engagement Event