Course: RMPS
Level: National 4
December 2012
This advice and guidance has been produced for teachers and other staff who
provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards qualifications.
These materials have been designed to assist teachers and others with the
delivery of programmes of learning within the new qualifications framework.
These support materials, which are neither prescriptive nor exhaustive,
provide suggestions on approaches to teaching and learning which will
promote development of the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills.
Staff are encouraged to draw on these materials, and existing materials, to
develop their own programmes of learning which are appropriate to the needs
of learners within their own context.
Staff should also refer to the course and unit specifications and support notes
which have been issued by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
http://www.sqa.org.uk
Acknowledgement
© Crown copyright 2012. You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of
charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence.
To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-governmentlicence/ or e-mail: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain
permission from the copyright holders concerned.
Any enquiries regarding this document/publication should be sent to us at
enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk.
This document is also available from our website at www.educationscotland.gov.uk.
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Contents
Introduction
4
World Religion
11
Morality and Belief
14
Religious and Philosophical Questions
17
Added Value Unit
19
Links to resources
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INTRODUCTION
Introduction
This resource provides advice and guidance for RMPS staff. There are four
units of study:




World Religion
Morality and Belief
Religious and Philosophical Questions
Added Value Unit.
Where learners are studying for a course award at National 4, they are
required to complete all units. RMPS National 4 units do not have specified
content.
RMPS National 4 builds on the knowledge and skills learners will have
experienced in the Broad General Education. Staff are therefore required to
take account of a learner’s prior knowledge to plan for programmes of learning
which promote progression and allow for challenge, breadth and application.
Before embarking on this course, staff should be familiar with the contents of
the religious and moral education (RME) principles and practice paper.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/curricul
umareas/rme/nondenominational/principlesandpractice/index.asp
Staff should also read the RMPS National 4 Professional Focus Paper
produced by Education Scotland to ensure that they have familiarised
themselves with the key areas of significant change and potential approaches
to teaching and learning.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nationalqualifications/professionalfocusp
apers/index.asp
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INTRODUCTION
Guidance for staff
Links to prior learning
Entry to the course is at the discretion of the centre. However, learners would
normally be expected to have attained the skills, knowledge and
understanding required by one of the following:
 relevant experiences and outcomes from RME
 RMPS National 3 course or relevant component units.
Progression in learning and skills
The RMPS courses from National 3 through to Higher are organised in a
hierarchical structure to allow for progression. The unit titles from National 3 to
Higher are the same. This facilitates teaching situations where learners
working at two or more levels are taught in the same class. The exception is
the Added Value Unit, which is part of the RMPS National 4 course, but is not
part of the RMPS course at any other level.
Learning should be progressive and not repetitive. It is important that any
content at one particular SCQF level is not repeated excessively as a learner
progresses to the next level of the hierarchy.
The range of options within each unit allows for skills progression in the
context of new subject content. This will enrich the learning experience and
offers opportunities to embed and extend skills. New and stimulating contexts
for learning should be introduced throughout to encourage learners to achieve
at their highest level.
Aims of RMPS National 4
As stated in the SQA Course Specification document, the main aims of RMPS
National 4 are to enable learners to develop:
 the ability to understand and reflect on religious, moral and philosophical
questions and their impact
 a range of skills including investigating and describing religious, moral and
philosophical questions and responses, making comparisons, and the
ability to express reasoned views
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INTRODUCTION
 straightforward knowledge and understanding of beliefs, practices and
sources related to world religions
 straightforward knowledge and understanding of religious, moral and
philosophical questions and responses to them.
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INTRODUCTION
Gathering evidence
Assessment should be an ongoing process that permeates effective learning
and teaching. As such, staff are encouraged to adopt imaginative and creative
approaches to assessment that take account of a learner’s experience in
terms of challenge, breadth and application.
Whilst RMPS National 4 will have no final course assessment, the
development of knowledge and skills remains a key factor in lesson planning.
Staff are encouraged to develop approaches to learning and teaching that
take account of a learner’s prior learning in the Broad General Education.
Building on this, staff should be mindful of the need for progression within
National 4 and should develop approaches that allow learners to be
challenged at the appropriate level.
For unit assessment purposes, a variety of methods of assessment should be
used to gather a rich range of evidence such as digital presentations, recorded
DVD/video, written work, podcasts, wall displays and oral presentations. Staff
should share learning and assessment criteria with learners, provide effective
feedback, encourage peer and self-assessment, and use effective questioning
techniques.
There should be opportunities for evidence to occur naturally as part of
learning activities.
Units can be assessed individually or, if learners are undertaking more than
one unit or the RMPS National 4 course, may be assessed by combined
assessment covering more than one unit, or by portfolio.
Interdisciplinary learning
Parts of the course may be suitable for teaching using interdisciplinary
learning (IDL) approaches.
IDL involving RMPS has the potential to offer valuable opportunities for
learners to apply skills to new contexts, to experience learning that is broad
and deep, and to experience the enrichment of connecting learning across
disciplines. Good IDL should enhance learning in each of the disciplines
involved and offer an appropriate level of challenge.
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INTRODUCTION
Where IDL approaches are used it will be important to have a good balance of
activities and ensure that learners are supported to reflect on their learning
and make specific connections to their learning in RMPS.
IDL offers opportunities for learners to generate evidence required for unit
assessment and, for example, could be an appropriate method of generating
evidence for a portfolio.
Skills, knowledge and understanding
The skills, knowledge and understanding required for RMPS National 4 are
shown in the box below. This list, from page 3 of the Course Support Notes,
separates out the skills, the knowledge and understanding, and the added
value of the course, which is contained in the Added Value Unit.
Added value
 Researching and using information to present findings about
straightforward, mainly factual, elements of religious, moral and
philosophical topics or issues in a reasoned manner.
Skills
 Describing and commenting on the meaning and context of sources related
to world religions, in straightforward terms.
 Expressing views about contemporary moral questions and responses, in
straightforward terms.
 describing religious and philosophical questions and responses, in
straightforward terms
Knowledge and understanding
 Straightforward factual knowledge and understanding of the impact and
significance of religion today through studying some beliefs, practices and
sources found within one of the world’s six major religions (Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism or Sikhism) and the contribution
these make to the lives of followers.
 Straightforward knowledge and understanding of contemporary moral
issues and responses.
 Straightforward knowledge and understanding of religious and
philosophical questions and responses.
Careful consideration of appropriate learning, teaching and assessment
methodologies is necessary in order to ensure that learners have an
opportunity to develop the range of skills necessary to be successful in RMPS
National 4.
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INTRODUCTION
Where learners are undertaking the RMPS National 4 course, staff should
ensure that skills development is embedded across the whole experience of
the course and that, as learners develop skills, they are also able to articulate
an awareness of the skills they are developing and are able to identify
appropriate opportunities to apply particular skills.
Assessment of skills
In designing learning opportunities for learners, staff should seek to ensure
that they build in opportunities for learners to develop skills. For the purposes
of unit assessment each unit has an assigned skills focus, as described in the
table below (see the Course Support Notes, page 6).
World Religion
Morality and Belief
Religious and
Philosophical Questions
Describing and commenting on the meaning and
context of religious sources
Expressing views about moral questions and
responses
Describing religious and philosophical questions
and responses
Particular skills have been allocated to individual units for assessment
purposes only. Where learners are undertaking the RMPS National 4 course,
staff should ensure that learners have opportunities to develop and integrate
skills across all the units.
Integrated skills development
RMPS National 4 offers opportunities to develop skills in an integrated way.
Learners should be encouraged to explore and develop links across their
learning. There are many opportunities for learners to apply what they have
learnt in one area of learning to other contexts and situations. This enhances
learning, helps to prepare learners for the Added Value Unit and can be used
to provide appropriate challenge for learners at this level.
The table below indicates where skills can be developed and gives examples
of the sort of activities that may be used to develop the skills.

This skill is an assessable skill for this unit

This skill is not an assessable skill for this unit but there are many
opportunities to develop this skill in this unit
This skill is not an assessable skill for this unit but there are
opportunities to develop this skill in this unit

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INTRODUCTION
Skill
Researching
and using
information
Presenting
findings in a
reasoned
manner
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Religious and
Added
Philosophical
Value Unit
Questions
Religious and
World
Morality and
Added
Philosophical
Religion
Belief
Value Unit
Questions




An example from the Added Value Unit
Being able to choose two appropriate sources on the moral
issue of capital punishment, identifying statements in the
sources presenting arguments or evidence about capital
punishment, organising the information into arguments and
evidence in favour of capital punishment, and arguments
and evidence against, and using the information to explain
why some people support capital punishment and some do
not.
An example from Religious and Philosophical Questions
Being able to investigate two different Christian views on
the Genesis creations stories, searching for sources of
relevant information, selecting and recording relevant
information from sources, and using that information to
describe the differences between those two different
Christian views on the Genesis creation stories.
Religious and
World
Morality and
Added
Philosophical
Religion
Belief
Value Unit
Questions




An example from the Added Value Unit
Being able to present (in any suitable format, eg spoken
presentation, written report, information poster) in an
ordered manner arguments and evidence that would be
used on both sides of the debate on capital punishment.
An example from World Religion
Being able to present (in any suitable format, eg spoken
presentation, written report, information poster) the results
of research about the origins of the Khalsa in a clear and
logical manner.
World
Religion
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Morality
and Belief
INTRODUCTION
Describing and
commenting on
the meaning
and context of
sources related
to world
religions
Expressing
views about
contemporary
moral
questions and
responses
Describing
religious and
philosophical
questions and
responses
Religious and
Added
Philosophical
Value Unit
Questions




An example from World Religion
Being able to describe the content and context of a quote
from the Torah, and being able to comment on the
meaning of the passage for Jews today.
Religious and
World
Morality and
Added
Philosophical
Religion
Belief
Value Unit
Questions




An example from Morality and Belief
Being able to articulate a view on the question of whether
or not gender stereotyping is harmful, understanding and
being able to express a view on a feminist assertion that
gender stereotyping limits the life choices of both women
and men and is thus harmful.
Religious and
World
Morality and
Added
Philosophical
Religion
Belief
Value Unit
Questions




An example from Religious and Philosophical Questions
Being able to describe the nature of suffering, providing
examples of suffering and the causes of suffering, being
able to explain why the existence of suffering might be a
challenge to theistic belief, understanding and being able
to explain responses to this challenge that may be given by
theists.
World
Religion
Morality and
Belief
Approaches to learning and teaching
When considering approaches to learning and teaching it will be important to
build on the diverse range of methodologies that learners will have
experienced in the Broad General Education. A wide range of learning
activities supports learner motivation and choice, as well as providing good
opportunities for appropriate challenge and skills development. In addition, a
wide range of learning activities, for example the sample activities provided in
the following guidance, will provide opportunities for capturing naturally
occurring evidence to support unit assessment.
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WORLD RELIGION
World Religion
The World Religion unit has one outcome.
Outcomes and assessment
standards
Outcome 1
The learner will:
World Religion Unit Specification
1
Apply knowledge and understanding of the significance and impact
of religion today by:
1.1
Describing the meaning of a source related to a world religion today, in
straightforward terms
Describing one key belief and one key practice related to the source, in
straightforward terms
Describing how the source informs the belief and practice, in
straightforward terms
Providing a straightforward comment on the significance of a religious
belief, practice and source to people’s lives today
1.2
1.3
1.4
In this unit learners will study beliefs and practices, and relevant sources of
authority from one of the following religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism,
Islam, Judaism, Sikhism.
A key part of facilitating successful learning in this
unit is in helping learners to see connections
between beliefs, practices and sources of
authority. One way of visualising this is as a
triangle with beliefs, practices and sources of
authority making up the three sides of the religion
triangle, each contributing, each related to the
other two and the triangle incomplete without all
three.
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WORLD RELIGION
Key questions to discuss will be:
 How is this belief/practice/source related to other beliefs, practices and
sources that we have studied?
 What is the importance for believers of this belief/practice/source?
 What has been and what is today the impact, on believers and on the
world, of this belief/practice/source?
Example activity
Giant mind map
This activity is designed to help learners to see connections between beliefs,
practices and sources.
Provide learners with sticky notes or small slips of paper. Working together,
learners think of as many beliefs, practices and sources as they can and write
each one on a separate sticky note. To develop an understanding of the
difference between beliefs and practices, learners could be instructed to write
beliefs, practices, and sources on different coloured sticky notes.
Learners are then asked to think about the relationship between the beliefs,
practices and sources they have written down. On a large sheet of flip-chart
paper or directly onto a noticeboard learners work together to discuss the links
between the things they have written on the sticky notes. At this level learners
may need support in identifying links between ideas.
Learners then use the beliefs, practices and sources on the sticky notes and
the relationships they have discussed to create a giant mind map. It may be
suitable to allow learners to do this directly onto desks with dry-wipe pens. A
photo could be taken of the finished mind map before it is dismantled.
In the course of this activity staff may observe or gather naturally occurring
evidence that meets the outcomes and assessment standards of this unit for
individual learners. The results of this activity or reflection on this activity may
form part of a learner’s portfolio.
A good source of other learning activities suitable for this unit is the resource
Skills development in the study of a world religion, published on the Education
Scotland website.
The World Religion Unit Specification states that sources should be ‘extracts
from sacred or official texts, accurate re-tellings of sacred texts, or non-textual
sources which clearly describe aspects of the religion concerned’.
The non-textual sources used could come from a visiting speaker, a visit to a
place of worship or a video of a person of faith describing the importance of a
particular religious artefact. An important part of this unit is understanding the
significance and impact of religion today. The use of contemporary sources
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WORLD RELIGION
(such as visiting speakers or a video of a recorded debate) will support
learners in understanding the contemporary significance of religion and the
impact that religious belief has on believers and the world today.
Helping learners to understand the differing nature of a range of sources of
authority from within a religious tradition will be important. For example, in
Islam understanding the different nature of authority contained in sources from
the Qur’an, the Hadith or the rulings of Islamic scholars will be important. This
can then be developed to consider the impact that sources from different
authorities have on believers and on various groups of believers.
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MORALITY AND BELIEF
Morality and Belief
The Morality and Belief unit has two outcomes.
Outcomes and assessment
standards
Morality and Belief Unit
Specification
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1
Apply knowledge and understanding of contemporary moral
questions and responses by:
1.1 Describing a contemporary moral question, in straightforward terms
1.2 Describing a religious and a non-religious response to the question, in
straightforward terms
Outcome 2
The learner will:
2
Express reasoned views about religious and non-religious
responses to contemporary moral questions by:
2.1 Describing one possible consequence of a religious and a non-religious
response to a contemporary moral question, in straightforward terms
2.2 Describing a possible strength and a possible weakness of a religious
and a non-religious response to a contemporary moral question, in
straightforward terms
2.3 Expressing a viewpoint on the question and responses, with a
straightforward justification
All learners should study the two moral perspectives, one which is religious
and one which is non-religious. Learners should to be able to apply these two
modes of thinking about morality to the option chosen for study. The focus in
this unit must be on the study of morality and how morality and belief interact.
While areas of knowledge and understanding in relation to particular moral
issues must be covered, the moral issues chosen for study should be seen as
the context for learning about morality and belief rather than as the subject of
study itself.
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MORALITY AND BELIEF
Example activity
Causing offence
Ask learners to gather examples of situations reported in the media of
instances where something that someone has said or written has led to
controversy or caused offence. Examples could include a religious leader
making unpopular statements about sexuality, a member of the public
revealing information about or making offensive comments about the victim of
a crime on social media or a celebrity making a statement perceived to be
offensive.
Learners should work together to select a particular case and to compile a list
of facts about the case.
Learners should choose or be assigned perspectives on the issue. The
perspectives should include both religious and non-religious views, and some
should be defending and some criticising the action being studied.
Once they are familiar with the perspectives they are considering, learners can
prepare contributions for a debate or produce a display or presentation
Nondescribing the different perspectives
Religious
religious
and the reasons someone may have
response
response
for holding that position.
Alternatively, learners could be given
Defending
a grid like the one shown and attempt
the action
to find responses that fit each set of
Criticising
criteria. If reading newspaper reports
the action
on the issue, the responses could be
cut from the article and stuck on, or a large whole-class grid could be
completed with all learners contributing.
In the course of this activity staff may observe or gather naturally occurring
evidence that meets the outcomes and assessment standards of this unit for
individual learners. The results of this activity or reflection on this activity may
form part of a learner’s portfolio.
Note: This example is appropriate for this unit at RMPS National 4 and may be
appropriate at RMPS National 5 where Morality and Belief is undertaken as a
free-standing unit, but would not be appropriate for learners studying for the
RMPS National 5 course. In RMPS National 4 there is no specified unit
content so staff are free to choose topic areas of interest to their learners,
provided that learners are addressing the unit outcomes. This flexible and
responsive approach is encouraged. This is also true where RMPS National 5
units are taken as free-standing units. However, as there is set content for the
RMPS National 5 course assessment, learners who are studying for the
RMPS National 5 course will be required to study the specified content as
described in the RMPS National 5 Course Assessment Specification.
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MORALITY AND BELIEF
A source of other active learning methodologies which are adaptable for this
unit is the resource Skills development in the study of a world religion,
published on the Education Scotland website.
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RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS
Religious and Philosophical Questions
The Religious and Philosophical Questions unit has two outcomes.
Outcomes and assessment
standards
Religious and Philosophical
Questions Unit Specification
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1
Apply knowledge and understanding of religious and philosophical
questions by:
1.1
Describing a religious and philosophical question, in straightforward
terms
Describing the significance of the question to people’s lives, in
straightforward terms
1.2
Outcome 2
The learner will:
2
Describe a religious and philosophical question and responses by:
2.1
Describing a religious response and a non-religious response to the
question, in straightforward terms
Identifying and describing a similarity or difference between the two
responses, in straightforward terms
Presenting a conclusion on the question and responses, with a
straightforward justification
2.2
2.3
This unit requires learners to be able to work with abstract ideas and
concepts. Learners will at some point in this unit be required to describe and
analyse positions that they themselves do not hold. In this unit learners may
be presented with questions such as ‘If God exists, would he choose to let
people suffer?’, ‘If there is no Creator, does my life have any purpose?’ or ‘If
miracles do not happen, can I still believe in God?’ It is important for learners
to be able to deal in a philosophical manner with such ‘if’ questions regardless
of their own position.
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RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS
Example activity
Questionnaire
This activity is designed to help learners to think about the significance of the
question they are studying to people’s lives.
Learners should consider the question they are studying, for example ‘Does
God exist?’, and work in groups to generate a questionnaire based on that
issue.
For example, learners might come up with questions such as:
1
Do you believe in God?
2
Have you always believed that or have you changed your mind at some
point? If you have, what made you change your mind?
3
If you answered yes to question 1, what is the main reason why you
believe in God?
4
If you answered no to question 1, what is the main reason why you don’t
believe in God?
5
If you answered yes to question 1, how would your life change if you
saw proof that convinced you that God doesn’t exist?
6
If you answered no to question 1, how would your life change if you saw
proof that convinced you that God does exist?
7
Do you think that believing in God makes life more meaningful? Why?
8
If you could meet God and ask God one question, what would you ask?
Learners will benefit from creating the questionnaire in itself, but it would
greatly enhance learning if learners had opportunities to ask people the
questions they have generated. It may be possible to find one or more guest
speaker willing to visit and answer the learners’ questions. Alternatively, the
learners themselves could role-play a situation where a researcher was asking
members of the public (with a range of views) the questions or where a
presenter was asking contributors to a TV debate programme about the issue.
In the course of this activity staff may observe or gather naturally occurring
evidence that meets the outcomes and assessment standards of this unit for
individual learners. The results of this activity or reflection on this activity may
form part of a learner’s portfolio.
A further source of other active learning methodologies which are adaptable
for this unit is the resource Skills development in the study of a world religion,
published on the Education Scotland website.
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ADDED VALUE
Added Value Unit
The Added Value Unit has one outcome.
Outcomes and assessment
standards
Added Value Unit Specification
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1
Research and use information relating to a religious, moral or
philosophical topic or issue by:
1.1
Choosing, with support, a religious, moral or philosophical topic or issue
for study
Collecting relevant evidence from at least two sources of information,
including at least one religious viewpoint
Organising and using the evidence collected to address the topic or
issue
Drawing on factual knowledge and understanding to describe and briefly
explain some key features of the topic or issue
Providing a straightforward description of the significance of the topic or
issue to the contemporary world
Presenting findings in response to the chosen topic or issue
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
This unit, as with all the other units, may be studied as a free-standing unit or
as part of the RMPS National 4 course. Due to the flexibility, personalisation
and choice inherent in this unit, as well as the focus on skills that are
transferable to many other curricular areas, this unit may be a choice for staff
who wish to offer the option of certification to learners in core RME for whom
National 4 is an appropriate level.
Education Scotland has produced a resource to support the delivery of the
RMPS National 4 Added Value Unit, which can be found on the Education
Scotland website or by following this link: RMPS National 4 Added Value Unit.
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ADDED VALUE
Qualifications
The requirements for a qualification in RMPS National 4 are laid out in the
SQA documentation, which can be accessed from:
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47420.html.
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ADDED VALUE
Comparison across levels
The following tables are designed to help staff to compare statements made in
the SQA documents on skills, knowledge and understanding across levels and
the outcomes and assessment standards across levels. The comparator
statements for National 4 and the levels on either side of National 4 are shown
side by side.
National 3
National 4
Added value
 Researching and
using information to
present findings about
straightforward,
mainly factual,
elements of religious,
moral and
philosophical topics or
issues in a reasoned
manner
National 5
Added value
 Researching,
processing and
analysing information to
draw conclusions and
present findings about
factual and theoretical
elements of religious,
moral and philosophical
topics or issues in a
reasoned manner,
taking account of
different ideas and
viewpoints
Skills
 Understanding and
commenting on the
meaning of sources
related to world
religions, in basic terms
 Expressing views
about contemporary
moral questions and
responses, in basic
terms
 Outlining religious and
philosophical questions
and responses, in basic
terms
Skills
 Describing and
commenting on the
meaning and context
of sources related to
world religions, in
straightforward terms
 Expressing views
about contemporary
moral questions and
responses, in
straightforward terms
 Describing religious
and philosophical
questions and
responses, in
straightforward terms
Skills
 Explaining and
commenting on the
meaning and context of
sources related to
world religions, in detail
and referring to
relevant abstract ideas
 Expressing reasoned
views about
contemporary moral
questions and
responses, in detail and
referring to relevant
theoretical ideas
 Analysing religious
and philosophical
questions and
responses, in detail and
referring to relevant
theoretical ideas
Skills,
knowledge
and
understanding
See:
N3 Course
Support Notes,
page 3
N4 Course
Support Notes,
page 3
N5 Course
Support Notes,
page 3
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ADDED VALUE
Knowledge and
understanding
 Basic knowledge and
understanding of the
impact and significance
of religion today through
studying some beliefs,
practices and sources
found within one of the
world’s six major
religions (Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism,
Islam, Judaism or
Sikhism) and the
contribution these make
to the lives of followers
 Basic knowledge and
understanding of
contemporary moral
issues and responses to
them
 Basic knowledge and
understanding of
religious and
philosophical questions
and responses
Knowledge and
understanding
 Straightforward
factual knowledge and
understanding of the
impact and
significance of religion
today through
studying some beliefs,
practices and sources
found within one of
the world’s six major
religions (Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism,
Islam, Judaism or
Sikhism) and the
contribution these
make to the lives of
followers
 Straightforward
knowledge and
understanding of
contemporary moral
issues and responses
 Straightforward
knowledge and
understanding of
religious and
philosophical
questions and
responses
Knowledge and
understanding
 Detailed factual and
theoretical knowledge
and understanding of
the impact and
significance of religion
today through studying
some beliefs, practices
and sources found
within one of the
world’s six major
religions (Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism,
Islam, Judaism or
Sikhism) and the
contribution these
make to the lives of
followers
 Detailed factual and
theoretical knowledge
and understanding of
contemporary moral
issues and responses
 Detailed factual and
theoretical knowledge
and understanding of
religious and
philosophical questions
and responses
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ADDED VALUE
Unit outcomes
and
assessment
standards:
World Religion
National 3
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding of
the impact and
significance of
religion today by:
National 4
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding
of the significance
and impact of
religion today by:
National 5
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding of
the impact and
significance of
religion today by:
1.1 Outlining the
meaning of a source
related to a world
religion today, in basic
terms
1.1 Describing the
meaning of a source
related to a world
religion today, in
straightforward terms
1.1 Explaining the
meaning of a source
related to a world
religion today, in detail
and with reference to
relevant abstract ideas
1.2 Outlining one key
belief and one key
practice related to the
source, in basic terms
1.2 Describing one
key belief and one key
practice related to the
source, in
straightforward terms
1.2 Explaining one key
belief and one key
practice related to the
source, in detail and
with reference to
relevant abstract ideas
1.3 Providing a basic
comment on the
significance of a
religious belief, practice
or source to peoples’
lives today
1.3 Describing how
the source informs the
belief and practice, in
straightforward terms
1.3 Explaining how the
source informs the
belief and practice, in
detail and with
reference to relevant
abstract ideas
1.4 Providing a
straightforward
comment on the
significance of a
religious belief,
practice and source to
people’s lives today
1.4 Providing a detailed
comment on the
significance of a
religious belief, practice
and source to people’s
lives today
See:
N3 World
Religion Unit
Specification
N4 World
Religion Unit
Specification
N5 World
Religion Unit
Specification
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ADDED VALUE
Unit outcomes
and
assessment
standards:
Morality and
Belief
See:
N3 Morality an
Belief Unit
Specification
N4 Morality and
Belief Unit
Specification
N5 Morality and
Belief Unit
Specification
National 3
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding of
contemporary moral
questions and
responses by:
National 4
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding
of contemporary
moral questions and
responses by:
National 5
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding of
contemporary moral
questions and
responses by:
1.1 Outlining a
contemporary moral
question, in basic terms
1.1 Describing a
contemporary moral
question, in
straightforward terms
1.1 Explaining a
contemporary moral
question, in detail and
with reference to
relevant theoretical or
abstract ideas
1.2 Outlining a religious
and a non-religious
response to the
question, in basic terms
1.2 Describing a
religious and a nonreligious response to
the question, in
straightforward terms
1.2 Explaining a
religious and a nonreligious response to
the question, in detail
and with reference to
relevant theoretical or
abstract ideas
Outcome 2
The learner will:
2 Express reasoned
views about
religious and nonreligious responses
to contemporary
moral questions by:
Outcome 2
The learner will:
2 Express detailed
and reasoned views
about religious and
non-religious
responses to
contemporary moral
questions by:
2.1 Describing one
possible consequence
of a religious and a
non-religious
response to a
contemporary moral
question, in
straightforward terms
2.1 Explaining one
possible consequence
of a religious and a
non-religious response
to a contemporary
moral question, in detail
and with reference to
relevant theoretical or
abstract ideas
1.3 Outlining a potential
consequences of a
religious and a nonreligious response, in
basic terms
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ADDED VALUE
1.4 Expressing a
viewpoint on the
question and
responses, in basic
terms
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2.2 Describing a
possible strength and
a possible weakness
of a religious and a
non-religious
response to a
contemporary moral
question, in
straightforward terms
2.2 Explaining a
possible strength and a
possible weakness of a
religious and a nonreligious response to a
contemporary moral
question, in detail and
with reference to
relevant theoretical or
abstract ideas
2.3 Expressing a
viewpoint on the
question and
responses, with a
straightforward
justification
2.3 Expressing a
detailed and reasoned
viewpoint on the
question and
responses, with
reference to supporting
evidence and
contrasting viewpoints
ADDED VALUE
Unit outcomes
and
assessment
standards:
Religious and
Philosophical
Questions
See:
N3 Religious
and
Philosophical
Questions Unit
Specification
N4 Religious
and
Philosophical
Questions Unit
Specification
National 3
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding of
religious and
philosophical
questions and
responses by:
National 4
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding
of religious and
philosophical
questions by:
National 5
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1 Apply knowledge
and understanding of
religious and
philosophical
questions by:
1.1 Outlining a religious
and philosophical
question, in basic terms
1.1 Describing a
religious and
philosophical
question, in
straightforward terms
1.1 Explaining a
religious and
philosophical question,
in detail and referring to
relevant theoretical or
abstract ideas
1.2 Outlining the
significance of the
question to people’s
lives, in basic terms
1.2 Describing the
significance of the
question to people’s
lives, in
straightforward terms
1.2 Explaining the
significance of the
question to people’s
lives, in detailed terms
Outcome 2
The learner will:
2 Describe a
religious and
philosophical
question and
responses by:
Outcome 2
The learner will:
2 Analyse a religious
and philosophical
question and
responses by:
2.1 Describing a
religious response
and a non-religious
response to the
question, in
straightforward terms
2.1 Explaining a
religious response and
a non-religious
response to the
question, in detail and
referring to relevant
theoretical or abstract
ideas
2.2 Identifying and
describing a similarity
or difference between
the two responses, in
2.2 Comparing and
contrasting the two
responses, in detail and
referring to relevant
N5 Religious
and
Philosophical
Questions Unit
Specification
1.3 Outlining the key
features of a religious
response to the
question, in basic terms
1.4 Outlining the key
features of a nonreligious response to
the question, in basic
terms
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ADDED VALUE
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straightforward terms
theoretical or abstract
ideas
2.3 Presenting a
conclusion on the
question and
responses, with a
straightforward
justification
2.3 Presenting a
reasoned conclusion on
the question and
responses, with
reference to supporting
evidence and
contrasting viewpoints
ADDED VALUE
Links to resources
 RME Principles and Practice
 RERC Principles and Practice
 Skills development in the study of a world religion: This resource offers
guidance on methodologies for effective teaching and learning focused on
skills development in the study of a world religion: National Qualifications
support for RMPS.
 Testimony: This online resource is designed to support learners and RME
staff within the senior phase. The site focuses on the importance of faith,
belief and values to the lives of individuals and how these beliefs and
values have impacted on their lives and influenced their actions.
 RMPS National 4 Added Value Unit: These materials have been created to
support the teaching and delivery of the RMPS National 4 Added Value
Unit (the RMPS assignment).
 Making Good Assessment Decisions 3–18 poster
 Advice and Support listed on the Education Scotland website. Some of
these resources relate to previous qualifications (eg Intermediate 2) but
staff may find helpful content within them. Staff will need to assess these
against the new arrangements to ensure they are appropriate.
 Archive resources: A collection of RMPS resources that have been
removed from the National Qualifications online database, but are still
available for archive use and contain some relevant content. Staff will need
to assess these against the new arrangements to ensure they are
appropriate.
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