We would like to thank Stuart McKinlay, who has stood as our Chairperson for the past 3 years. Stuart has navigated STARME through it’s creation, inauguration and helped cement RME as a subject worth talking about. Stuart bid farewell at our recent AGM and you can read his final report as Chair below. Stuart will remain on the management committee and will take over the leadership of the Festival of Learning working group.
Chairperson’s Report 2025–2026
Three Years of STARME: A Final Reflection
They say that if you want to see change in your profession, you have to be the one to start the
conversation. Three years ago, when Steph Whyte (our secretary) and I were in an Education
Scotland online meeting, we were bemoaning the lack of a vice for our subject in Scotland. We
shared belief: that RME teachers in Scotland deserved a home, a shield, and a megaphone.
With a small group of other enthusiasts we set about forming this association which now has
over 300 members.
Today, as I prepare to step down as the founding Chair after our first three years, I am incredibly
moved by what that “blank paper” has become. We aren’t just an association anymore; we are a
community that stands tall and speaks with one unapologetic voice for the value of what we do
in the classroom.
This past year, we’ve proven that STARME isn’t just a resource hub—it’s a powerhouse for
advocacy. I’ve always believed that our subject deserves the same rigour and respect as any
other, and we’ve fought hard to ensure that happens.
- The Withdrawal Bill: We took a bold, leading stance on the Children (Withdrawal from
Religious Education) Bill. By providing urgent briefings for the Stage 1 debates, we
ensured that the professional voice of RME teachers reached the Scottish Parliament.
We’ve made it clear: RME is a core academic right for every child, not an optional extra. - Holding the Standard on Inspections: We published a decisive position statement on
future inspection practices. We have demanded specialism, clarity, and consistency. If
our subject is to be taken seriously, it must be inspected by those who understand its
depth. We are holding the system to account to ensure RME is delivered to the statutory
high standards our pupils deserve.
Our 2025 Festival of Learning at New College, Edinburgh, was a defining moment. There was a
palpable energy in that historic building in the heart of our capital.
The highlight was undoubtedly the keynote from Ollie Bray (Education Scotland). For years,
there have been concerns about the future of our curricular area, but hearing him state clearly
and publicly that RME remains a secure, distinct, and vital pillar among the eight curricular
areas was the “win” we have worked three years to achieve. It validated everything we’ve been
shouting from the rooftops: our subject is the essential toolkit for young people navigating a
complex world.
This year, STARME has made sure our voice is the loudest in the room during the Curriculum
Improvement Cycle (CIC). Members have been encouraged to get involved in collaborative
groups, core groups, as critical friends and in the online learning sessions accompanying the
CIC to ensure there is a strong voice for our subject and its future.
We have leaned into the new “Know-Do-Understand” framework, not as passive observers, but
as active architects. We’ve been pushing for a curriculum that moves away from vague
“experiences” and toward a rigorous, knowledge-rich framework. By helping define the “Big
Ideas” for the next decade, we are ensuring that RME remains intellectually demanding,
ethically grounded, and practically relevant.
Our mission over these last three years has been to change the narrative. We want every
teacher—from the student just starting out to the veteran in the department—to feel that being
an RME/RMPS specialist is one of the most exciting jobs in the country. We are the ones
teaching young people how to think, not what to think.
Whether it’s through the resources on our website or the energy on our socials, we are building a
legacy of excellence.
Being a core part of the founding of this association has been the greatest privilege of my career.
It has been a whirlwind of meetings, debates, and massive successes, but the best part has
always been the people.
To the committee: thank you for your relentless hard work and for keeping the wheels turning. To
our members: thank you for your passion, your feedback, and your dedication to the young
people of Scotland.
As I step back, I do so with total confidence. The foundations are deep, the path is clear, and
while I may be handing over the role of Chair, I will always be STARME’s biggest cheerleader.
The work continues. Let’s keep making some noise, inspiring and empowering excellence in
RME.
Stuart R. McKinlay
Outgoing Chair of Scottish Teachers Association of RME
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