With the adoption of Curriculum for Excellence within all of Scotland’s schools, the Scottish Government recognised the need to update the 1991 and 2005 Circulars on the provision of religious and moral education and religious observance. The importance of Religious and Moral Education and Religious Education in Roman Catholic Schools remains with its inclusion as one of the eight core areas of Curriculum for Excellence. It continues to contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills necessary to enable children and young people to be successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 continues to impose a statutory duty on all local authorities to provide religious education and religious observance in Scottish schools and there are no changes to the legislative position regarding this. These revisions are purely to bring the advice in line with the new curriculum. Scottish Government has had successful engagement with a number of key stakeholders in the RE/RO community plus Learning and Teaching Scotland and HMIE colleagues.

A Religious Education Advice Note and a Religious Observance Advice Note are now available (see attachments below). These notes provide a reminder to Directors of Education and Headteachers of how the statutory requirements regarding RE/RO can continue to be met within Curriculum for Excellence and are wholly consistent with the aims, vision and values of the wider Curriculum for Excellence programme.