To elect the Chairperson for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

Nominations for Chairman of the SACRE were sought.  Councillor Mrs Doreen Gurney was nominated, seconded and duly elected.

Members thanked Jane Chipperton for all of her hard work over the years and agreed that she will be missed when she retires at the end of the month.

RESOLVED

that Councillor Mrs Doreen Gurney be elected as Chairman of the SACRE for 2018/19.

To elect the Vice-Chairperson for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

Nominations for Vice-Chairman of the SACRE were sought.  Due to a number of SACRE members unable to attend this meeting it was agreed that the Vice-Chairperson would be elected at the November meeting of SACRE.

RESOLVED

that the election of Vice-Chairman of the SACRE for 2018/19 be agreed at the November SACRE meeting.

To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Group A:        Sister Aidan Richards

Group C:        Kathleen Eldridge, Redborne Upper School

                        Anita Whitehurst, St Swithuns School, Sandy

Group D:        Cllr Mrs A Barker

                        Cllr Mr N Warren

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on 27 February 2018.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2018 be approved as a correct record.

To consider the review and launch of the new Agreed Syllabus.

Members were advised of the following:

·         Mrs Chipperton will continue to lead on the launch of the Agreed RE Syllabus.

·         Over 60 individuals have signed up to attend the launch conference on the 26 September and a number of Headteachers have indicated that they will be attending the lunchtime session.

·         35 individuals have signed up to attend the October conference.

·         Luton Borough Council have agreed to print a number of copies of the Agreed RE Syllabus which will enable schools across the three local authorities to purchase a copy at the September and October conference.

·         Schools within Central Bedfordshire need to be able to access the new Agreed RE Syllabus as an e-document via a password protected area on the Central Bedfordshire Council Website.

·         Currently in the process of accepting logos, a foreword to the Syllabus is being drafted and Artwork is being finalised.

·         Schools within Central Bedfordshire have been made aware that for the Academic Year 2018/19 they will continue with the current provision and use this time to reflect and pilot the new Agreed RE Syllabus before fully implementing for the Academic Year 2019/2020.

·         The biggest change with the Agreed RE Syllabus is a more systematic approach to teaching the units.

RESOLVED

1.    that the details of which schools are attending the launch conference be provided to the School Improvement Consultant who will ensure where possible that all schools within Central Bedfordshire are represented.

2.    that the new Agreed RE Syllabus be digitalised and easily accessible to all Schools within Central Bedfordshire via a secure password protected site.

To consider the draft SACRE Development Plan.

The SACRE considered a Draft Development Plan setting out areas for development between April 2018 – March 2019 and noted the following:

1.    The launch of the Agreed RE Syllabus will be pivotal, with schools using the new academic year to audit what has worked well with the previous syllabus.

2.    The annual review of the final GCSE and A Level results in Religious Education will provide SACRE members with an understanding of achievements within Central Bedfordshire.

3.    A transparent budget will allow more work to take place to support the Professional Studies Group in RE.

4.    Luton SACRE have produced a paper on collective worship which could be used as a teaching tool by schools within Central Bedfordshire.

5.    Promotion of the RE Quality Mark continues in order to facilitate schools to gain the RE Quality Mark during the next academic year.

6.    The Annual SACRE report will be compiled and shared with schools and national groups including NASACRE.

Points and comments included:

·         Members of SACRE noted that the Hindu representative was willing to present at a future meeting to provide an opportunity for SACRE Council Members to gain a greater understanding of the Hindu faith.

·         There needs to be a link within Central Bedfordshire Council to work with schools to ensure that they have access to the appropriate artefacts for the teaching of RE.

·         The SACRE acknowledged the importance of having a website which would include resources for Schools to access as well as keeping them informed about the work of SACRE.

·         A member of SACRE made the Council aware that if a school achieves the gold standard in the RE Quality Mark they are able to attend a free conference.

RESOLVED

1.    that the draft development plan be noted; and

2.    that  the Interim Head of School Improvement investigate website pages specifically for SACRE being housed on the CBC website and whether there is the facility to make these interactive.

3.    that any comments from the SACRE Council on the Draft Development Plan be fed back to the School Improvement Consultant prior to the next meeting.

To consider the spiritual, moral, social and cultural comments from Ofsted reports from January to March 2018.

The SACRE considered the Ofsted Spiritual, Moral and Cultural comments (SMSC) for January to March 2018 and noted the following:

1.    Increasingly finding that for those schools who have had a short inspection no reference is made to Spiritual, Moral and Cultural comments by Ofsted.

2.    There have been 9 inspections of schools during this period.

3.    Hadrian Primary School’s report made a detailed reference to modern Britain and British values.

4.    Ashton St Peters Primary School’s report highlighted the value of the curriculum and that the school demonstrated an age-appropriate skill in identifying and resisting extremist ideas in any form.

Points and comments included:

·         The SACRE Council noted that Stratton Upper School has Beacon School status for Holocaust Education.

NOTED

the report

To receive the feedback from NASACRE AGM.

Mrs Chipperton attended the NASACRE AGM which was a 25 year celebration of NASACRE where the Rt Hon Charles Clarke a visiting Professor in Politics and Faith at Lancaster University and co-convenor of the Westminister Faith Debates was a key speaker. He spoke about the power of RE and the 25 years of work of the NASACRE.

Points and comments included:

·         Members of SACRE noted that the RE Council will publish in September the commission report which will look at the future of RE in the country.

·         That Milton Keynes SACRE have set up a Youth SACRE working with all of the interfaith groups.  The SACRE acknowledged that this might be something that Central Bedfordshire SACRE could look at introducing in the future.

·         Members of SACRE acknowledged the need to re-engage with Secondary and Upper Schools within Central Bedfordshire as there is a particular need for support for GCSE and A Levels.

To consider the future of SACRE.

The Chairman of SACRE raised concerns about how the SACRE Council move forward following the imminent departure of Mrs Chipperton, which will mean a loss of RE knowledge.

The Interim Head of School Improvement presented the specification for work commissioned by Central Bedfordshire in order to ensure that the Council fulfils its statutory role regarding SACRE.  Members of SACRE noted the following:

1.    The Council do not have the RE expertise therefore looking to commission for this element.

2.    Central Bedfordshire Council have a statutory duty to provide a budget for SACRE and for the Academic Year 2018/19 the budget was confirmed as £9000.

3.    The Interim Head of School Improvement will continue to arrange the commissioning arrangements for this year.

4.    That the bespoke elements of the RE Today support package be reviewed in order to ascertain their need/value.

5.    Evidence to demonstrate delivery of the intended outcomes from SACRE will be provided to the Head of School Improvement throughout the year.

Points and comments included:

·         The SACRE Council acknowledged that should RE Today be commissioned it will allow for SACRE to promote CPD for Primary and Secondary Teachers within Central Bedfordshire.

·         A SACRE member informed the meeting that RE Today are currently working with Luton Borough Council which has been very well received.

·         A member of SACRE emphasised that RE Today have a proven track record with working effectively with school clusters, offering effective CPD opportunities and pupil conferences.

·         The SACRE noted that Central Bedfordshire Council is the legal body responsible for ensuring that the statutory duties are fulfilled with regards to SACRE and will therefore organise and agree all suitable commissioning arrangements.

RESOLVED

1.    that the report specification be noted; and

2.    that the Interim Head of School Improvement ensure that the contact details for schools are shared to allow information on the launch of the new Agreed Syllabus to be shared with schools in Central Bedfordshire.

3.    that the Interim Head of School Improvement continue to commission for the work to ensure that the Council fulfils its statutory role regarding SACRE.

4.    that members of SACRE review at the November meeting the current remit for SACRE under the constitution.

To agree the date and time of the next SACRE meeting.

The next meeting would be held on Thursday 8 November, 4:00pm, Priory House, Chicksands.

RESOLVED

that future meeting dates are shared with the Interim Head of School Improvement.