Members were aware that Paragraph 8.1 of the Constitution required the attendance of least one person from each representative group at meetings of the Advisory Council.  Whilst representatives were present from Groups A, B and D there were no representatives from Group C.  On this basis the Chairman declared the meeting inquorate.  Although formal decisions could not, therefore, be taken by the Advisory Council those Members present decided that they still wished to consider the items listed on the meeting agenda.  The outcome of their discussions is as follows:

The meeting noted that both Linda Hardy (Primary School Representative) and Janet Day (Special School Representative) had retired.  It was felt that a letter should be sent to Mrs Hardy thanking her for her contribution.

On behalf of Members the Chairman welcomed Mr Paul Harpin who, as School Intervention Manager and Virtual School Lead Learning and School Support, had succeeded Mr Steve Morrow as the officer responsible for work associated with the Advisory Council.  Mr Harpin explained his role to Members following which Members introduced themselves.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the SACRE meting held on 12 June 2012.

(Attached)

The minutes of the meeting of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) held on 12 June 2012 were received.

Councillor Versallion stated that although his apologies for absence were recorded in the minutes there was no need for this as he was a substitute and had not been requested to attend the meeting.

The Chairman stated that, contrary to what was set out in minute 11/45, she had not attended the NASACRE AGM.

Arising out of minute 11/49, and the reference to filming by RE Today of good practice in RE classrooms, the Chairman showed an extract from the resulting DVD which had recently been released.  The meeting noted that teaching notes were available on the related website.

With regard to minute 11/51 it was noted that letters to the Chief Executive of Central Bedfordshire Council and the Head Teacher at Cedars Upper School regarding the hosting of a Holocaust Memorial Day 2013 had not yet been sent.

The meeting received issue 34 of SACRE News for autumn 2012.  The Chairman highlighted issues of especial interest for Members attention.

To receive national updates including GCSE and A Level results.

The Chairman advised that a letter had been sent to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, regarding the falling number of qualified Religious Education teachers.  The meeting noted that this was possibly due to the lack of bursaries for RE teacher training and the resulting decision by teachers to choose other subjects.  Members were referred to the RE Council for England and Wales website for additional information.

The meeting also noted that, whilst the introduction of the English Baccalaureate (EBac) had seen a positive impact on the teaching of subjects such as history and geography, schools were not signing up to teach RE.

The School Intervention Manager circulated provisional data for “KS 4 and KS5 Achievement in Religious Education 2012” for schools in Central Bedfordshire and “Achievement in Religious Studies 2012 in CBC” setting out GCSE and A Level results for individual schools teaching Religious Studies.  The meeting noted the figures would not be ratified until November.

Following discussion the School Intervention Manager emphasised the need to understand why RE was not proving an attractive subject for students.  He undertook to circulate further information on trends prior to the next meeting once cohort size and national benchmarking became available.

To receive a update on Humanist Membership

At the request of the Chairman this item was brought forward for consideration.

The meeting received papers from the British Humanist Association (BHA) entitled “Why Humanism should be represented on Standing Advisory Councils for RE (SACREs) and Agreed Syllabus Conferences (ASCs)” and “About Standing Advisory Councils for RE (SACRES)”.  Members were advised that the Association’s Chief Executive was unable to attend an Advisory Council meeting until February 2013 at the earliest.  It was noted that a joint meeting of local SACREs from Luton Borough, Bedford Borough, Hertfordshire County and Central Bedfordshire Councils was due to meet on 8 February 2013 at 2.00 p.m. at Priory House, Chicksands.  A representative from NASACRE was expected to attend.  On this basis it was felt that the BHA Chief Executive should be invited to attend the joint meeting.  The Chairman would formally invite other SACREs to attend the meeting whilst the Committee Services Officer undertook to ensure suitable accommodation was available.

To receive a Development Plan update.

The Advisory Council considered the October update for the SACRE Development Plan and Budget Plan for April 2012 – March 2013.  Members worked through each area ‘Focus’ that was listed.

Members first examined ‘Areas for Development’.

With regard to the sample of the current provision collective worship and RE in schools the meeting noted that feedback was still awaited from PSG.  Unfortunately Kathleen Eldridge was not present to advise.

Information on standards on spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development arising from Ofsted reports was considered under item j) below.

With regard to SACRE Council Members having the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience of different faiths through presentations at meetings it was felt that the next Advisory Council meeting should consider the opportunity for this to take place during the summer 2013 term.

The meeting was informed that the artefacts held at St Mark’s Church in Bedford and schools were making use of these for the teaching of RE.  Members of the Bedfordshire RE Society were undertaking a ‘stock check’ of artefacts so schools could be advised of what was available.

With regard to developing a list of speakers to visit schools it was noted that problems existed with regard to capacity and access to the relevant information.   It was noted that the information was not already available on the internet.   The meeting considered at length the various means by which the list could be drawn up, Members noting the difficulties involved in achieving this given the length and complicated nature of the task.

Members considered the progress made on the introduction of an RE Quality Mark together with the related costs and the advantages offered by the Mark.  The Chairman reported that the outcome of the trial period would be discussed at a meeting on 17 December at the Diocese of St Albans office at Holywell Hill, St Albans.

The meeting noted the ‘Areas of Activity’.

The School Intervention Manager undertook to supply an updated version of the Development Plan which incorporated any points that had emerged with the minutes of the meeting.  A copy is therefore attached at Appendix A.

To consider the future of the schools Survey.

The meeting considered the requirement to undertake the Schools Survey and the associated capacity problems.  The School Intervention Manager emphasised the need to examine perceptions and establish the reasons for the varying levels of take-up by different schools.  It was felt that this matter should be considered at the Advisory Council’s next meeting.

To note the Annual report 2012.

The meeting considered the need to prepare the Advisory Council’s Annual Report for 2012.  To assist them copies of the 2011 Annual Report had been circulated with the agenda.  Members acknowledged the advantage in dividing the task between various persons.  Following discussion:

·        the School Intervention Manager undertook to collate the constituent parts of the Report and prepare sections on Standards in Religious Education and Ofsted Visits

·        the Chairman undertook to prepare the “Message from the Chair”  section

·        the Chairman and Kathleen Eldridge would prepare sections on Holocaust Memorial Day, training and the Professional Study Group

·        it was felt that a section on the LA Agreed Syllabus and the minutes of the past three meetings of the Advisory Council should be included

·        the Committee Services Officer would provide a membership list.

It was felt that there should not be any sections prepared on the NASACRE AGM or Celebrating RE.

The Chairman stated that any photographs or other related information would be welcome.

To receive a training update on the Agreed Syllabus.

The meeting noted that training had taken place on 4 July at Marston Moretain with 46 delegates from across all three Bedfordshire councils.  On 8 October 37 delegates had attended training at Putteridgebury and a further 25 had signed up for a training session in January 2013.  The meeting was informed that training on ICT and RE would take place in February 2013.

Members were advised that a great deal of help had been received from the Bedfordshire RE Society.

To consider information on Ofsted judgements.

The School Intervention Manager circulated a document entitled “Ofsted SMSC comments 2011-2012”.  He drew Members attention to the inspection dates which ranged from April to July 2012.  The meeting noted that ‘religious education’ was not mentioned but that a new, tougher, inspection framework meant inspections took place into a school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development.

(Note: at this point Councillor Jones declared an interest as the Chairman of the Governing Body at Hawthorn Park Lower School, one of the schools inspected).

To receive information on the Holocaust Memorial Day 2013.

The Chairman reported that, due to a lack of capacity, she had asked Vandyke and Cedars Upper Schools in Leighton Buzzard if either would be willing to be the host for the Holocaust Memorial Day in 2013 within Central Bedfordshire.  The money normally used by SACRE for this purpose would be given to the school to use.  The School Intervention Manager would establish which school would be host.

To note that the next meeting will be held on Wednesday 30 January 2013, 2.00p.m in Room 15, Priory House, Shefford.

The next meeting of the Central Bedfordshire SACRE was scheduled to be held on 30 January 2013.  As a joint SACRE meeting was now scheduled to be held in the afternoon of 8 February it was felt that the January meeting should be cancelled and the next Central Bedfordshire Advisory Council meeting be held in the summer term.

It was felt that the dates of future meetings should be considered at the next Advisory Council meeting in the summer.