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

learningrmps@gmail.com

@learningrmps

This week we are joined by Jonas Christensen.

We discuss teaching philosophy, making use of the space to be inventive with teaching. Jonas uses a lot of gamification to make learning more engaging and we talk about teaching about Freedom of Speech.

You can read more on the podcast notes on my website - https://learningrmps.com/2026/02/03/jonas-c/

Please share with collegaues and get in otuch @learningRMPS on social media or learningrmps@gmail.com

Join us for a deep dive into the world of Primary RME with researcher and teacher Chantelle Boyle. From her PhD research on teaching moral issues to the practical power of "Dilemma Discussions," Chantelle shares how RME skills can be woven into almost any primary topic, even starting with something as simple as Newsround.

We explore why these "tricky conversations" are vital for young learners and offer practical tips on where to find the best classroom resources.

Note: Please bear with us for the first two minutes of audio; the sound quality improves significantly after the introduction!

For the complete breakdown of this episode, links to Chantelle’s presentations read the full blog post on our website:

https://learningrmps.com/2026/01/27/chantelleboyle/

In this latest episode of the podcast, we are joined by Dr. James Holt from the University of Chester, a dedicated teacher educator and researcher whose work is transforming how we approach Religious Education. This conversation dives deep into the essential—and often challenging—decisions behind selecting which religions to teach and how to represent them with authenticity and depth.

Key highlights from the episode include:

• Beyond the "Sexy" Bits: A critical look at the tendency to focus on "hooks" (like reggae or marijuana in Rastafari) rather than providing a holistic view of a faith's traditions and practices.

• Reflecting the Community: Why using local census data is vital for choosing worldviews that mirror the diversity of our own classrooms.

• The Boundaries of RME: A fascinating debate on "What is RME?"—including whether mythology and ancient religions have a place in the modern curriculum.

• Navigating Non-Religious Views: Exploring the nuance of "The Nones" and how to teach the diversity within non-religious perspectives.

• Resources: From James’s "Understanding" book series to his free CPD resources on Rastafari and the Latter Day Saints, there are countless tools mentioned to help boost your subject knowledge.

There is so much to unpack in this episode, and these notes are just the beginning. To get the full breakdown of the resources mentioned and the pedagogical shifts discussed, be sure to read the detailed notes here: https://learningrmps.com/?p=2870

We would love to keep this conversation going! After you’ve listened or read the notes, please reach out with your thoughts via email at learningrmps@gmail.com.

Stay Connected:Don't forget to follow @LearningRMPS on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Bluesky for more updates and RME inspiration!

This week's podcast, I am delighted to host Ollie Bray, Strategic Director at Education Scotland. Ollie is one of three strategic directors at Education Scotland and has responsibility for curriculum, pedagogy and innovation at Education Scotland.

We talk about the Curriculum Improvement Cycle and the impact that will have on RME in the future.

You can find more information and detailed show notes on my website - https://learningrmps.com/2026/01/09/what-even-is-the-curriculum-improvement-cycle-with-ollie-bray-podcast-notes/If you enjoy this episode and want to follow mroe you can find me on social media @learningrmps or email learningrmps@gmail.com

I am joined by Stuart McKinlay, RMPS teacher and chair of STARME.

In this episode we discuss

• Holocaust Education with Generation 2 Generation
• Teaching Research Skills
• Why I was rubbish at helping at the school show.
• Top Tips for School Trips

Full Episode notes are on my website - https://learningrmps.com/2025/12/12/smckinlay/

Join Fiona Moss (Education & Programmes Manager at Culham St Gabriel’s) and I, as we unpack what a Religion and Worldviews Approach looks like in real classrooms. We explore practical ideas for primary and secondary RME, tips for teaching non-religious worldviews, and how funding opportunities—like Culham St Gabriel’s scholarships and the Farmington Scholarship—can support teacher development.

Find links, resources, and the full blog post at https://learningrmps.com/fiona-moss

Continue the conversation on social media @learningrmps or email learningrmps@gmail.com.

If you teach RME or Religious Education, this episode is packed with ideas to refresh your practice.

In this episode I talk to Marilyn Hamilton who shares all about a day in her RME Classroom.

We discuss how Parent's Night is so important for RME, how you can use Homework to increase engagement and relationships, how to teach analysis skills to Highers and why relationships are so important in the RME classroom.

You can read more about the episode here - https://learningrmps.com/2025/11/14/what-even-is-rme-inside-my-classroom-with-marilyn-hamilton-podcast-episode/

If you would like to learn more about my research and my work you can learn more at www.learningrmps.com or follow along on Social Media

@LearningRMPS