What Even is RMPS?

Welcome back to What Even Is RMPS? In this episode, Steph sits down with Laura Crichton—Head of Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, and Religion, and the creator of Enlightened RMPS.

Laura shares her journey of falling into teaching 17 years ago, transitioning from divinity studies and financial data analysis to running a busy department. We take a look into a "day in the life" of her classroom—from S4 philosophy classes creating Descartes rap battles and puppet shows, to S2s exploring workplace ethics, and S1s creating children's books to explain philosophical concepts.

Steph and Laura also dive into why tech giants are hiring philosophy graduates to navigate AI ethics, how to simplify senior essay structures without over-complicating things, and why open resource-sharing is vital for supporting single-person departments across the country.

Plus, in this month's intro segment, Steph breaks down recent event appearances at RExchange and the STARME TeachMeet, introduces a brand-new crime investigation resource on LearningRMPS.com, gives a review of the Stanford Prison Experiment documentary, shares a display board setup hack, and gives her monthly read, watch, and audiobook recommendations!

• Enlightened RMPS Website: Explore Laura’s books, podcasts, and study guides at enlightenedrmps.com.

• Learning RMPS Website: Download the brand-new free resource "Sifting Fact from Fiction: A Critical Thinking Crime Investigation for Secondary RMPS" (#409 The Pharmacy Heist) at learningrmps.com.

• Amazon Storefront: Browse Steph's curated collection of recommended teacher reads, classroom display hacks,and personal favorites at amazon.co.uk/shop/whyhapnex.

• Try Audible Free: Listen to audiobooks on your commute or during prep time with a free Audible trial at link.amazon/A0j6aFEpR.

• Farmington Scholarships: Applications for 2027/2028 Farmington Scholarships are officially open! Find out more and apply at farmington.ac.uk.

• STARME Network: Access subject support, CLPL resources, and member events at starme.co.uk.

• Book Recommendation: Senior Phase RMPS: An A to Z of Classroom Practice by Gillian Dunsmuir & Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend.

• Follow on Social Media:

  • Laura on Instagram: @enlightenedrmps

  • Steph on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook: @learningrmps

Welcome back to Season 2 of What Even Is RMPS?

In our season opener, Steph sits down with Gillian Dunsmuir—tri-qualified RMPS, Modern Studies, and History teacher, Chair of the STARME, and recent Farmington Scholar.

Gillian shares a detailed look at a "day in the life" of her classroom, from teaching 20-mark essay structures in Higher Morality and Justice using evaluation walls to using classic 1970s Roots episodes with S3 History, and establishing belief profiles with S1s. We delve into building a positive classroom ethos through cold-calling and "Show Me" boards, discussing the shift toward worldviews, and why sports stars like Rafael Nadal make brilliant growth mindset role models for pupils.

Plus, we celebrate the launch of Gillian's brand-new book which you can order on Amazon now!

Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode

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  Gillian’s New Book: https://amzn.to/47jQy2s  (All initial profits go to Ayrshire Cancer Support)

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  Learning RMPS Website: Visit learningrmps.com for updated BGE resources, the self-driving car trolley problem game, and crime games!

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  STARME Website & Free Membership Area: Access CLPL resources, "RMPS in the News", and Interfaith Week ideas at starme.co.uk (Free to join!)

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  RExChange Conference: Find out more about the upcoming RExChange conference hosted by Culham St Gabriel’s here.

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  Farmington Scholarships 2027/28: Apply for funding and dedicated research time via the Farmington Institute Website.

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  Canva Templates: Search for learningrmps templates directly on Canva!

• Follow on Socials: Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook: @learningrmps

Welcome to a bonus episode as we bridge the gap between Season One and Season Two!

In this episode, Steph announces the podcast's official rebrand to What Even is RMPS? to align with the Curriculum Improvement Cycle, and outlines updates to the LearningRMPS website.

The core of today's episode is a breakdown of Steph’s Farmington Scholarship research paper: What Even is RME? Unpacking Religious Education in Scotland at a time of change. Skipping the 45-page read, Steph provides a direct summary of the challenges facing the subject and outlines practical, classroom-ready solutions to elevate RMPS across Scotland.

In This Episode:

• The Rebrand: Why the podcast is now What Even is RMPS?

• LearningRMPS.com Updates: Check out the new personalised trolley problem game, Crime & AI resources, National 5 Revision Task generators, and a new structural tool for Higher students.

• Unpacking the Research: A look at the lack of Scottish RMPS research, the legacy of Graeme Nixon and Stephen Scholes, and the persistent issues of IDL tokenism and curriculum variability. As well as actionable solutions.

Call for Guests! Season Two is coming later this term. You don't need to be doing anything revolutionary to come on the show- we just want to hear what's happening in your classroom. If you'd like to be a guest, email: [email protected]

Read the Full Report:

• Read Steph's complete Farmington Scholarship research paper: What Even is RME? Unpacking Religious Education in Scotland at a time of change

• You can also read Steph's original 2013 undergraduate dissertation at learningrmps.com.

Connect with Steph:

• Socials: @learningrmps (Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook)

• Website: www.learningrmps.com

  
  

In this special finale episode, we look back on the journey of What Even Is RME? We reflect on the importance of "boots on the ground" research in the RMPS classroom and discuss how teachers can get involved in professional inquiry. We also have conversation on how we can continue to build a supportive community for RMPS educators.

• The Power of Small-Scale Research: Why you don’t need a massive dissertation to make an impact. Every small, classroom-based inquiry adds to the bigger picture.

• Funding Opportunities: A reminder that the Farmington Scholarship can provide the time and space (up to 30 days) to pursue your own research interests.

• Practical Classroom Tools: An introduction to the new National 5 Question Generator available on the website, designed to help frame exam-style practice.

• Community Building: Why we’re moving away from the "one-man band" feeling and toward a collaborative future for RMPS/RME in Scotland.

• The Website: www.learningrmps.com – Visit for the National 5 Question Generator and other classroom resources.

• The Farmington Scholarship: https://farmington.ac.uk – Information on research funding for teachers.

• Feedback: Do you use the website? I am planning a site-wide update this summer to make everything a "one-stop shop." Send me your thoughts on what you find most useful!

• Follow the Conversation: Connect with me on social media @learningrmps for clips, updates, and classroom snippets.

• Email Steph: Have a question or an idea for Season 2? Reach out at [email protected].

• Guest Contact: You can contact Stephen Scholes at Queen Margaret University via email: [email protected].

Thanks for listening to Season 1 of "What Even Is RME?"! Keep the conversation going, and I’ll see you all in Season 2.

This is the extended version of the presentation I made at STARME's Festival of Learning 2026! As you can see I had a lot more to say than my allotted 15 minute slot!

I talk about my research as part of my Farmington Scholarship and what the key finds are and what the big solutions might be.

I would love for you to join in the conversation @learningrmps or [email protected]

This week on What Even Is RME?, I am joined by the brilliant Ray Somerville! Ray is a fantastic RME teacher based in Fife (who actually covered my maternity leave a few years ago!). We sat down for our very first in-person podcast record to talk about the realities of teaching RMPS, from 45-minute commutes fueled by musical showtunes to the weirdness of stepping away from the classroom mid-term for maternity leave.

Ray shares some incredibly practical advice for navigating the BGE and Senior Phase, including why she champions open-book assessments for S2, how she successfully teaches Dream Psychology and Freud to S3s, and why you should treat your SQA questioning exactly like an order at a local bakery! Plus, stick around for a hilarious S1 Canva assessment story that proves you can never predict what teenagers will do with technology.

In this episode, we discuss:

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  S3 Electives & Core: Teaching Dream Psychology, exploring Freud, and why giving S3s a choice in how they are assessed (from posters to podcasts) transforms engagement in Medical Ethics.

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  The Assessment Debate: Why Ray uses open-book assessments for S2 Evil & Suffering, and how it directly builds National 4/5 skills.

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  The Canva Voice Note Incident: How an S1 assessment on the Prince of Egypt accidentally resulted in the wildest project title ever.

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  The "Stephens Bakery" Hack: How to stop pupils from answering with "because that's my opinion" by channeling your local bakery and constantly asking, "But why?"

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  New Teacher Advice: The absolute necessity of reading SQA course reports and Education Scotland documents to get candidates through their exams.

• Dream Guests & Mastermind: Why the Dalai Lama would win over the toughest S4 classes, the beauty of teaching Judaism, and some surprise Doctor Who trivia!

 🎟️ STARME Festival of Learning: Tickets officially close TODAY! If you haven't grabbed yours, be quick. I will be hosting a session called 'How to Solve a Problem like RME?' where I take a deep dive into my recent research. Come along and say hello!

💬 The Faculty Debate: Thank you to everyone who got involved in the Instagram discussion sparked by the last episode regarding faculty structures and RME's place in the curriculum. Keep those thoughts coming!

Join the Conversation: I would love to know: Are you Team Open-Book or Team Closed-Book for BGE assessments?

Let me know your thoughts!

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  Instagram/X: @learningRMPS

• Email: [email protected]

This episode is an Inside My Classroom with Laura Cleland.

Laura has been an RMPS teacher since 2001 and a Principal Teacher since 2007. We talk about her long-term journey in a one-school town and why she believes you have to be a little bold to lead a successful department.

We discuss the S1 Integrated Social Subjects trial currently happening in her school. This is a fascinating look at a 5-period-a-week model where RME gets equal weighting to History, Geography, and Modern Studies to reduce the amount of transitions for their S1 pupils.

Laura shares her method for senior phase success: Memory Mondays. We talk about how this simple, consistent retrieval ritual led to her department's best-ever National 5 results. If you are looking to boost attainment and retention, this is a must-listen.

We also talk about making the BGE curriculum relevant for pupils. Laura explains her Cosmetic Roulette lesson for Animal Ethics - a brilliant way to make moral issues relevant by looking at the products already sitting in the pupils' own bags.

Beyond the "Big Questions," we delve into the diverse range of the department, including their Early Learning and Child Care course. Laura proves that an RMPS department can be the home for everything from high-level Metaphysics to practical vocational skills like play based learning and first aid.

In the introduction, I share some of the amazing feedback from our last episode with Jamie Woodhouse on Sentientism.It’s been incredible to hear how many of you are already weaving these worldviews into your class notes!

Finally, I mention my brand new Ethics in Sport unit now available on TES. It covers everything from doping to gender in sport; the first lesson is completely free to download. There is a charge for all 10 units to help support the running costs of the podcast and website.

As always, please keep in touch! Join the great discussion on social media @learningRMPS or reach out at [email protected].

This week, I am joined by Jamie Woodhouse, who has been doing an absolute power of work building a global community for Sentientists. Sentientism is a fascinating non-religious worldview that broadens our circle of moral consideration to include all sentient beings, rather than just focusing solely on humanity the way traditional Humanism does.

It was so refreshing to explore a new way to think about non-religious ideas, and there are so many brilliant concepts here that can be taken straight back to the RMPS classroom. We discuss what Sentientism actually is, how it applies to moral issues like Animal Rights, Justice, and Conflict, and even touch on the ethics of Artificial Intelligence—if a robot becomes sentient, does it have rights? We also explore how Sentientism could be used as an engaging non-religious worldview in the Higher Origins topic!

In this episode, we discuss:

• What is Sentientism? The core pillars of evidence, reason, and compassion.

• Humanism vs. Sentientism: Where do we draw the line on who matters?

• Classroom Application: Using Sentientism to teach Animal Ethics, Justice, Conflict, and even Medical Ethics.

• The AI Debate: Should a robot have rights, and why we should probably be saying "please" and "thank you" to ChatGPT.

• Higher RMPS: Could Sentientism be the perfect worldview for assignments or the Origins topic?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Jamie's Website: Sentientism.info (Check out the highly recommended FAQ section!)

• RE:Online Guide: A Guide to Sentientism

• Get in touch with Jamie: [email protected]

• Previous Episode: Listen to my chat with Fiona Moss

Updates & Housekeeping: 

New on the TES Store: I’ve just dropped some brand-new resources to keep your lessons highly topical, including units on Louis Theroux & The Manosphere, the Assisted Dying Bill, and Higher Sikhism. Picking up these bigger units directly funds the hosting for this podcast and the website—at least until the massive corporate sponsorships start rolling in!

My TES Shop

STARME Festival of Learning: Tickets are officially available! Grab yours and come join the biggest gathering for RME and RMPS teachers in Scotland. Link to Tickets

Join the Conversation: I would love to know: Would you consider including Sentientism in your curriculum as a non-religious worldview? Let me know your thoughts!

• Instagram/Tiktok/Bluesky/X: @learningRMPS

• Email: [email protected]

Welcome to Episode 9!

This episode its an Inside My Classroom with Terri Barry.

Terri is an RME teacher in Shetland and we talk about what drew her to the island and what teachign is like on the island. We discuss the joy of mentoring students and probationer teachers - this links nicely to my previous episode with Orlaith Payne.

Terri talks about using poetry to teach her S2 pupils about the Holocaust. We talk about the importance of teaching the Holocaust and how poetry has helped her classes become engaged in discussions and reflections. The holocaust. There are further resources for this on the Holocaust Memorial Day Website.

We also talk about other forms of engagement including baking bread for seniors and delving into the archives for lesson ideas.

Terri talks about her PhD studies, which she is currently undertaking at Queen Margaret University. If further study is something you are interested in, you can find out more on Culham St Gabriels Website.

Terri is a massive advocate for a worldviews approach to RME and embedding citizenship education into RME lessons. You can find out more about Citizenship Education here.

As always please keep in touch, follow on social media @learningRMPS or [email protected]

Welcome to Episode 8!

I can't quite believe we've hit this milestone already with even more episodes recorded and waiting in the wings! A massive thank you to all my listeners for your continued support and for validating this crazy idea of mine.

This week, I’m thrilled to be joined by the brilliant Orlaith Payne from Strathclyde University. We’ve worked together on the Curriculum Improvement Cycle group, and she brings incredible passion to our subject, alongside a fantastically dry sense of humour.

In this episode, we dive into:

How the PGDE course prepares student teachers for the classroom and helps them defend the RMPS subject.

Ideas for supporting primary students, including excellent resources from the Scottish Bible Society.

Creative ways to use Bluey and Bingo to help teach RME.

Orlaith's top three tips for mentoring and supporting student teachers in your department.

Head over to the website to read the complete show notes! You'll find direct links to the Scottish Bible Society resources, the Bluey Instagram post we mentioned, and more information on Strathclyde University.

LearningRMPS.com/orlaithpayne

[email protected]

@learningrmps