To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Group A         Sister Aidan Richards

Nina Leigh

Group B         Carly Woodall

Group C         Jacqui Binks

Group D         Cllr Mrs A Barker

                        Cllr Mr C G Gomm

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on 9 November 2017.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting held on 9 November 2017 be approved as a correct record subsequent to the following minor amendments:

Minute 17/5  SACRE Development Plan

Bullet point one be amended to ‘Concern was raised as to the difficulty to identify and facilitate visits to appropriate schools’

Resolution to be amended to ‘that Mr Harpin identify those schools within Central Bedfordshire that have the RE Quality standard as these would be the most appropriate schools for members of the SACRE to visit to observe RE lessons.’

Members were advised of the following:

The Chairman Jane Chipperton will be retiring in July 2018 as RE and Church School Inspection Adviser for St Albans Diocese and Chair of SACRE for Central Bedfordshire Council.    Therefore future consideration would need to be given to SACRE having a visible budget and purchasing RE advice to support their statutory duties.

New appointments have been made within school improvement but there is currently still no reference point for SACRE.

RESOLVED

1.    that a meeting takes place between the Councillor representatives of SACRE, the Chairman and Paul Harpin to discuss the following items:

-       SACRE funding arrangements

-       Future of SACRE within Central Bedfordshire Council

-       Development of pages on the Central Bedfordshire Council website which can hold the new Agreed Syllabus plus be a RE resource tool for schools within the area.

2.    that the Chairman obtains for the group some examples of the level of budget that other local authorities have for SACRE.

To consider the SACRE Development Plan.

The SACRE considered a Development Plan setting out areas for development between April 2017 – March 2018 and noted the following:

1.    The Agreed Syllabus will be finalised in the summer term and this still remains the largest element of work on the development plan.

2.    There are a number of artefacts held in St Marks Church in Bedford. 

3.    There are currently 11 schools with the RE quality mark in Central Bedfordshire.

4.    The Annual SACRE report will be finalised by the end of March 2018.

5.    The Chairman will be attending NASACRE AGM.

6.    The Chairman attended the 2018 Holocaust Memorial Day Event at Redborne Upper School.

Points and comments included:

·         Concern was raised as to how the artefacts currently held at St Marks Church in Bedford are distributed out to schools within Central Bedfordshire.  In particular whether or not there are any charity groups in Central Bedfordshire that would be willing to deliver out to local schools.

·         There needs to be more promotion of the RE quality mark amongst schools.

RESOLVED

that information on how Central Bedfordshire schools can access appropriate artefacts for the teaching of RE be included on the Central Bedfordshire SACRE website pages.

To consider the spiritual, moral, social and cultural comments from Ofsted reports from September to December 2017.

The SACRE considered the Ofsted Spiritual, Moral and Cultural (SMSC) comments for September to December 2017 and noted the following:

1.    There have been 12 inspections of schools during this period.

2.    11 of those schools received an overall rating of good or better.

3.    Redborne received a positive mention of religious studies within the Ofsted report.

4.    There appears to more specific mentions of RE within the Ofsted reports.

RESOLVED

that the Chairman of SACRE find a Special School representative to attend future meetings of SACRE.

To consider the RE GCSE and A Level results for 2017.

The SACRE considered the RE GCSE and A Level results for 2017 and noted the following:

1.    The format of the results is now different as the Data team are using a new reporting tool called ‘nexus’.

2.    831 students took part in RE GCSE in 2017 in comparison to 946 students the previous year.

3.    Harlington Upper School and Manshead Academy are showing a large number of students sitting GCSE RE.

4.    Overall 73.5% passed A-C in 2017 in comparison to 73% in 2016.

5.    73 students took AS Level RE GCSE in 2017 in comparison to 46 students in the previous year.

6.    Overall 62% passed A-C in 2017 in comparison to 46% in 2016.

7.    100 students took A Level RE in 2017 in comparison to 95 students in the previous year.

8.    2017 saw the introduction of a new A Level course which has results in a decrease in the pass rate.

9.    All students at Manshead Academy, Queensbury Academy and Redborne who took A Level RE achieved a grade A-C.

Points and comments included:

·         Concern was expressed on the decrease in the percentage of A Level students achieving an A-C grade in 2017.

·         The Chairman confirmed that a course was run to assist secondary school teachers with teaching the new A Level course but this was only attended by a very limited number of secondary and upper schools in the area.

·         Clarification was given on the data definitions; NOR stands for numbers on roll and NOE stands for number of entrants.

To note that the next meeting will be a joint SACRE meeting with the two other Local authority SACRE’s; Bedford Borough Council and Luton Borough Council  and will be used in order to sign off the final version of the Agreed Syllabus.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday 5 June 2018 at 1:00pm, at Priory House, Shefford.

The agreed syllabus would be held on Tuesday 5 June, 1:00pm, Priory House, Chicksands

The next meeting would be held on Thursday 5 July, 2:00pm, Priory House, Chicksands.

To consider whether to pass a resolution under section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that the consideration of the

item is likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

RESOLVED

that in accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude Press and Public from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that the consideration of the item is likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph3 of the Part 1 Schedule 12A of the Act.

To review the update from Lat Blaylock.

The SACRE reviewed the draft January 2018 version of the work on the new locally Agreed RE Syllabus and made suggestions for the consultant to consider and use in further drafts.

RESOLVED

1.    that the SACRE agreed to endorse the progress made on the new agreed syllabus conditional to any suggestions made during the course of the meeting being applied to the draft.