Religious and Moral Education includes learning about Christianity and other world religions, and supports the development of beliefs and values. It also includes aspects of philosophical enquiry.
Scotland is now a nation which reflects a wide range of beliefs, values and traditions. Religious and moral education enables children and young people to explore the world’s major religions and approaches to living which are independent of religious belief, and be challenged by these different beliefs and values. It supports children and young people in developing responsible attitudes to other people, their values and their capacity for moral judgement.
The study of Christianity, which has shaped the history and traditions of Scotland and continues to exert an influence on national life, is an essential feature of religious and moral education for all children and young people.
Learning through Religious and Moral Education enables children and young people to:
- develop a knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other world religions and recognise religion as an important expression of human experience
- explore moral values such as wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity
investigate and understand the responses which religions can offer to questions about the nature and meaning of life - develop the skills of reflection, discernment, critical thinking, and deciding how to act when making moral decisions
- develop their beliefs, attitudes, moral values and practices through personal search, discovery and critical evaluation, and make a positive difference to the world by putting their beliefs and values into action.
Religious and Moral Education makes a distinctive contribution to the curriculum in helping pupils towards a consistent set of beliefs, attitudes and practices within our own community and beyond. Religious and Moral Education is taught in Kildrum with these broad aims in mind and reflects council and national policies as set out by the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Included in our Religious and Moral Education programme is the study of Christianity and other world religions. This encourages harmony, appreciation and consideration for the beliefs of others. While studying Religious and Moral Education classes may make visits to local churches and other sacred buildings.
It is recognised that the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 allows parents/carers to withdraw their children from any religious instruction and observance, and parents/carers wishing to do so should contact the head teacher, in writing, to allow any arrangements to be made.
Parents/carers from ethnic minority religious communities may request that their children be permitted to be absent from school in order to celebrate recognised religious events. Only written requests will be considered. Appropriate requests will be granted on not more than three occasions in any one school session and the pupil noted as an authorised absentee in the register.
Through our curriculum children are given opportunities to become responsible citizens who have respect for others and a commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic, social and cultural life within their community. They are able to develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it, understand different beliefs and cultures and make informed choices and decisions.
