Transcript Welcome to the Religious and Moral Education Department

Department data
Aims and Ethos
Curriculum for excellence
RMPS Course descriptions
Revision assistance
All pupils from First Year through until the
end of Fourth Year are timetabled for one
period a week of RME.
We also have classes from Third Year
onwards who chose to undertake the
certificated work of RMPS –
Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies.
Department data:
At present the RME staff are Mrs A Stewart (PT) and
Miss F Williamson. They can be found in GF035 and
GF037 respectively.
Aims and Ethos
 Our Courses seek to inform our young people about
differing social systems, cultures and faiths. We aim to
develop within our successful learners; a respect, tolerance
and understanding of others lives, whilst providing space
for them to grow their own beliefs and values.
 In studying shared values, whether spiritual, moral, social
or cultural we are seeking to grow citizenship skills within
our young people. Working together we hope to equip
confident individuals to take a full role within school and
in the wider community as effective contributors.
Curriculum for Excellence
First Year
Class members will investigate how Christianity arrived
in Scotland, built up religious traditions and also
investigate the underlying belief system of this religion.
We then widen our scope to investigate other religions
within Scotland and research some of their celebrations
and festivals, along with the reasons for such occasions.
The manner in which secular viewpoints can inform
moral decision making is studied by use of debate on
issues pertinent to this age group.
We are working cross-curricularly to support the IDL
trip to Hadrian’s Wall.
Second Year
Our young people begin this year with an investigation
into matters relating to Equality and Diversity, initially
from a Christian perspective.
We take part in the Learning for Life national
competition thereafter, which encourages them to
investigate their own understanding of values such as
honesty, respect and compassion.
By discovering a range of beliefs from World Religions
our young people will discuss ways to approach ‘ultimate
questions’. How such judgements and values impact our
society will be considered in class by interactive
methodologies.
Third Year
Within Core RME our young people will spend this year
investigating four main areas: War and Peace, Crime and
Punishment, Gender, and Medical Ethics.
Their investigations into these moral issues will be
informed by both religious and secular viewpoints.
By the end of this year they should be able to express
clear opinions on these issues and state how they have
reached their own conclusions. They should also be
able to explain how our society has reached its various
conclusions on these topics due to a variety of cultural
influences.
Fourth Year
During Fourth Year Core RME our young people will
return to ‘ultimate questions’ and the nature of justice
and morality within our own culture. By
philosophically questioning cultural and moral issues
they will investigate how diversity within society informs
decision making.
Class members will then make active, reasoned
decisions as to what they would change in society and
state with reference to current affairs how they believe
such matters should be resolved. They should be able to
present methods by which they would seek to
implement their decisions that also reflect values of
respect for others.
Courses leading to certification
 Access 3 RMPS
 Intermediate 1 RMPS
 Intermediate 2 RMPS
 Higher RMPS
 Advanced Higher RMPS
Click on one of the above options to discover information about any of these courses.
Access 3 RMPS
This course has 3 Units – each of which is assessed upon
completion by an internal test. There is no external
exam for this course.
Questioning Morality – This first Unit looks at how
people make their own moral decisions in life as to what
is right or wrong.
Questioning the World – This Unit investigates how
our society is structured and how groups within society
make moral decisions.
Questioning Belief – This Unit looks at the role of
beliefs in our society and how they affect the lives of
people who hold them.
Intermediate 1 RMPS
This Course is comprised of 3 Units over 2 years and is
assessed both internally by NAB’s and externally by exam.
Third Year begins with an investigation into Medical
Ethics in the areas of Embryo Research; Organ Donation
and Euthanasia.
This is followed by researching a World Faith to discover
what it says about our Human condition; the ultimate goals
put forward by faith groups and how to achieve them.
Fourth Year sees us further our philosophical
investigations with a Unit titled ‘The Existence of God’.
Arguments both ‘for’ and ‘against’ are researched.
Intermediate 2 RMPS
This Course is comprised of 3 Units over 2 years and is
assessed both internally by NAB’s and externally by exam.
Third Year begins with an investigation into Medical
Ethics in the areas of Embryo Research; Organ Donation
and Euthanasia. Two religious and one secular viewpoint
are used to evaluate these moral issues.
This is followed by researching a World Faith to discover
what it says about our Human condition; the ultimate goals
put forward by faith groups and how to achieve them.
Fourth Year sees us further our philosophical
investigations with a Unit titled ‘The Existence of God’.
Arguments both ‘for’ and ‘against’ are researched.
Higher RMPS
This Course is comprised of 3 Units over 2 years and is
assessed both internally by NAB’s and externally by exam. It
can be undertaken either in Fifth or Sixth Year.
1. We research into Buddhism first to discover what it says
about our Human condition; the ultimate goals for
Buddhists and how they seek to achieve them.
2. Our philosophical investigations into arguments
surrounding Scientific and Religious methodology lead us
to investigate the Theories of the Big Bang and Evolution
versus liberal and fundamental theologies in a Unit titled
Christianity Belief and Science.
3. We research the various moral viewpoints that impinge
upon issues relating to Crime and Punishment.
Advanced Higher RMPS
During Sixth Year a small number elect to take this selfstudy course. Studies are supported by staff during noncontact time.
There are 3 Units of work in this course, two of which are
internally assessed: Medical Ethics and Philosophy of
Religion. The Dissertation upon an agreed topic of
approximately 4,000 words, and the final course exam
are assessed externally. The Dissertation and associated
research count as the third Unit.
Resources are held in the Department and arrangements
have been made with the Library to facilitate the
learning within this Course.
Revision Assistance
We are currently compiling a list of web sites and
resources for each of our Courses. This will be uploaded
when complete. In the meantime advice can be sought
from Department members.