Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Room 15 - Priory House, Monks Walk, Shefford, SG17 5TQ. View directions

Contact: Miss M Brooks  0300 300 5783

Items
No. Item

11.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Minutes:

Apologise for absence were received from:

 

Group A         Sister Aiden Richards

                        Tirath Bhavra

                        Nina Leigh

 

Group B         Carly Woodall

 

Group C         Lucy Chapman

                        Jacqui Binks

                        Anita Whitehurst

 

Group D         Cllr Mrs A Barker

                        Cllr N Warren

 

 

 

12.

Introductions

To receive introductions from the members of SACRE.

Minutes:

Members were invited by the Chairman of SACRE to introduce themselves to new members of SACRE.

13.

Minutes of the Last Meeting pdf icon PDF 73 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on 5 July 2018.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

that the minutes of the meeting held on the 5 July 2018 be approved as a correct record.

14.

Election of Vice-Chairperson 2018/19

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

Minutes:

Nominations for Vice-Chairman of the SACRE were sought.  Lucy Chapman a Lower School Representative from Sutton Lower School was nominated, seconded and duly elected.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

that Lucy Chapman be elected as Vice-Chairman of the SACRE for 2018/19.

15.

A Focus Upon Hinduism

Minutes:

The SACRE received a presentation from the Hindu representative on ‘ A Focus Upon Hinduism’.

 

The presentation provided SACRE with an overview of the Hindu faith and offered members with the opportunity to gain further knowledge and experience of a different faith.

 

Points and comments included:

·         Members acknowledged that one of the duties of SACRE is to promote opportunities for schools to increase the exposure of children to different faiths and religions,.

·         The SACRE acknowledged that teachers have received push back from parents concerning visits to other places of worship.

·         Members noted that the Agreed Syllabus does recognise a parents right of withdrawal.

·         The Interim Head of School Improvement confirmed that Central Bedfordshire Council have not previously monitored RE withdrawal.

·         The SACRE acknowledged obtaining intelligence on the nature and level of incidence of RE withdrawal would allow members to assess what might be done to improve religious intolerance.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    that the presentation on ‘A Focus Upon Hinduism’ be noted and;

 

2.    that data is collected by School Improvement Advisers within CBC and reported to SACRE on the incidence of parents refusing to allow their children to attend visits to mosques or temples or withdrawing their child from all or part of the RE syllabus within Central Bedfordshire.

 

 

16.

Review of the Agreed Syllabus

To receive an update on the launch and developments with the new Agreed Syllabus.

Minutes:

Members of SACRE agreed to discuss this item under Agenda item 7, see below for further information.

17.

Evaluation of the Launch of the Agreed Syllabus. pdf icon PDF 209 KB

To receive an evaluation on the launch of the Agreed Syllabus, presentation of the training programme to come and consideration of budgets and work for the coming year.

Minutes:

The representative from RE Today provided an evaluation of the launch of the Agreed Syllabus, an update on the training programme to come and consideration of the budget and work for the coming year.

 

Key issues noted were:

1.    127 people attended the September launch day and 105 attended the October launch day at Putteridge Bury Conference centre.

2.    At the launch day Teachers received a day of training on how to implement the new Agreed Syllabus.

3.    These events were rated good, or very good by 98% of attendees.

4.    The first two teacher network sessions took place on the 8 November with 9 teachers from Secondary schools and 22 teachers from Primary schools attending.  Initial feedback again was positive.

5.    There are currently 9 teaching plans written for the Agreed Syllabus, over the coming months there could be a focus to finish the remaining plans.

6.    There are a number of articles on the NATRE website which relate to the business of SACRE in particular the guidance for Headteachers on the right of parents to withdraw their child from RE education.

7.    The Agreed Syllabus is being shared with Central Bedfordshire Teachers via Perspective Lite which is an IT system that allows confidential information to be shared with schools.

8.    Training events to assist with the implementation of the Agreed Syllabus have been organised, including ‘Understanding Christianity’ and training on ‘Three Religions’ providing support on subject knowledge in relation to Jewish, Hindu and Islamic life.

 

[Note: Mr Ryan Parker joined the meeting]

 

Points and comments included:

·         The SACRE acknowledged that the Teacher network meetings were a fantastic provision of INSET training on the Agreed Syllabus for Central Bedfordshire Teachers and should be replicated for February and July 2019.

·         The SACRE noted that money had been made available to cover the calculated expenditure of SACRE over the coming months.

·         The Interim Head of School Improvement confirmed that a budget of £12,000 would be made available to SACRE to utilise over the coming financial years.

 

 

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    that the National News for SACRE, Autumn 2018 be noted and;

 

2.    that the training dates for implementing the Agreed Syllabus be provided to SACRE members.

[Note:- Subsequent to the meeting the following training dates were provided. 

27 February: Learning three religions: Hindu, Muslim and Jewish

15 January, 3 April and ½ day 4 July: Understanding Christianity in Bedford / Luton.

Both are expected to take place at Marston Moretaine] 

 

3.    that Officers provide SACRE with an annual budget report for analysis.

18.

SACRE Development Plan 2018-19 pdf icon PDF 105 KB

To consider the SACRE Development Plan 2018-19.

Minutes:

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

1.    The roll out and training for the Agreed Syllabus is the next phase and more detailed plans on the way in which the schools will be engaged in implementing the new Agreed Syllabus will emerge.

2.    The annual review of the final GCSE and A Level results will be available at the February 2019 meeting of the SACRE.

3.    That Mr Ryan Parker is still the link for the Professional Studies Group and will be able to provide updates to SACRE at subsequent meetings.

4.    There are currently 12 schools with the RE Quality mark and work continues on supporting schools who choose to engage in the pursuit of REQM.

5.    The Annual SACRE report will be compiled next term.

 

Points and comments included:

·         Members of SACRE expressed a wish to visit schools in Central Bedfordshire to observe RE lessons.

·         The SACRE noted that the supporting holocaust day will be taking place on the 27 January 2019 and the theme will be reflecting on the trauma of families losing a safe place to call home.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    that the development plan be noted; and

 

2.    that the School Improvement Consultant investigate opportunities for the SACRE to visit schools in Central Bedfordshire to observe RE lessons.

 

3.    that a representative from SACRE attends the NASACRE AGM due to take place in the summer term 2019.

 

19.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) pdf icon PDF 64 KB

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

Minutes:

The SACRE considered the Ofsted Spiritual, Moral and Cultural comments (SMSC) for April – July 2018 and noted the following:

1.    There have been 5 inspections of schools during this period.

2.    Ardley Hill, Dunstable school’s report highlighted that the pupils have developed their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding well through the curriculum.

3.    Brooklands, Middle school’s report highlighted that pupils are encouraged to consider issues such as moral guidance, racism in society and tolerance which prepares them well for modern Britain.

 

 

Points and comments included:

·         The SACRE Council noted that Stratton Upper School has been recognised for its work in Holocaust education.

 

 

NOTED

 

the report

20.

The SACRE Constitution pdf icon PDF 87 KB

To review the SACRE Constitution.

Minutes:

The SACRE reviewed the 2010 version of the SACRE constitution.

 

Points and comments included:

·         The SACRE acknowledged that the Council were fulfilling their duty to advise on matters concerned with school worship through the provision of teacher network meetings, INSET.

·         The SACRE noted that if a member is absent for 3 or more consecutive meetings for any reason not acceptable to the Council there shall be deemed to be a vacated place to be filled.

·         The Council agreed that the appointment of teacher association representatives should be looked at when a vacancy emerges.

·         The SACRE noted that the Teacher Network meetings for Primary and Secondary Teachers would take place prior to the SACRE meetings.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    that the SACRE Constitution be noted and;

 

2.    that the School Improvement Consultant place a notice in Central Essentials for the appointment to the vacant place on the SACRE for the Teachers’ association representatives.

 

3.    that the School Improvement Consultant contact the teacher representatives to identify if there any issues with attendance due to the revised start time of the SACRE.

21.

Date of Next Meeting

 

To note that the next meeting of the SACRE will be held on Thursday 28 February 2018 at 4:00pm, at Priory House, Shefford.

Minutes:

The next meeting would be held on Thursday 28 February 2019, 4:00pm, Priory House, Chicksands.

22.

Future Meeting Dates

To agree meeting dates for the SACRE.

Minutes:

Future meeting will be held on Tuesday 2 July 2019, 4:00pm at Priory House.