Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that David Fawcett be elected Chairman of SACRE for the academic year 2012/13.

RESOLVED that Madeline Diver and Kathy Hadfield be appointed Deputy Chairmen of SACRE for the academic year 2012/13.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 5 July 2012.

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2012 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Further to Minute 17, Feedback on New Locally Agreed Syllabus for RE and Training Opportunities, Martin Surrell reported that he had emailed a pdf version of the Syllabus, rather than a cd version, to the Headteacher of each school.  He also confirmed that three hard copies of the syllabus had been provided for the RE Coordinator, Headteacher and Chair of Governors of each school.

An update detailing all outstanding vacancies on SACRE is attached.

A report listing current vacancies was noted. Subsequent to the publication of the report, the resignation of Susan Burrow (Free Churches) had been received.

The Clerk reported that the relevant organisations had been requested to nominate representatives to fill the vacancies, some more than once, and none had yet done so. He requested Members who were representatives of those organisations to contact the nominating bodies to encourage them to make nominations or to suggest possible representatives.

(Action: Cof E, Catholic and Free Churches Members)

It was also agreed that the possibility of advertising the vacancies on the Council website be investigated.

(Action: Clerk)

Jo Fageant reported on training events as follows:

• A recent Twilight meeting attended by Primary School teachers. Those attending had been very enthusiastic about taking work on the syllabus forward.
• Another event was to be held on 30 January 2013 for those new to the role of RE Coordinator.
• A course entitled “Using Digital Technology to Give RE the HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills)”. Details would be circulated.

(Action: Jo Fageant)

It was agreed that Twilight meeting dates be circulated to SACRE members.

(Action: Jo Fageant)

It was agreed that Governor Services be requested to consider providing training on the new Locally Agreed Syllabus.

(Action: Martin Surrell)

Jo Fageant reported on the meeting of the RE Council of England and Wales held on 7 November.

She reported that there was considerable concern about the future of religious education given that RE had not been included in the Government’s current review of the curriculum and that bursaries were no longer available for PGCE RE students, only being provided for English Baccalaureate subjects and “subjects of national interest”.

The RE Council had looked at the first phase of the review of RE. The outcome was likely to be a new National Framework.

SACRE members expressed the view that, as RE was a compulsory school subject, it should be included in the English Baccalaureate. It was agreed that a letter from SACRE to the Secretary of State for Education be drafted to this effect and circulated to members for comment.

(Action: David Fawcett/Cllr Blatchford)

Martin Surrell provided SACRE members with provisional examination results for 2011 for the Borough.

He reported that results in the GCSE Full course were outstanding, with over 90% achieving a grade C or better, compared to 74% nationally.  In one school 68 out of 69 entries achieved at least a grade C.  However, the number of students taking this examination declined from 304 in 2011 to 205 this year.  This represented c16% of the cohort. 

Numbers taking the GCSE Short course increased from 221 to 321, with over 74% achieving at least a grade C.  In total, around half of the cohort took an external examination in RE. 

Numbers taking the A Level in RE remained similar to last year, with all 34 students achieving at least a grade E and 62% achieving grades A* - B.

It was agreed that the results, once validated, be circulated for information.

(Action Martin Surrell)

It was also agreed that discussions be held with school curriculum managers to establish how RE is taught and the potential impact of the English Baccalaureate on RE.

(Action Martin Surrell)

The draft SACRE Annual Report 2011-2012 had been circulated.

Jo Fageant reported that, following the abolition of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, there was no set template for the report so she had drafted it in a simpler, more accessible format. All SACRE annual reports would be available on the NASACRE website.

Members agreed the new format and suggested the following amendments:

• Page 1: NASACE website address to be added.
• Page 3: Number of additional meetings to address Additional Syllabus Conference business to be included.
• Page 3: Delete repeated “been” from Membership Update, second paragraph.
• Page 3: Add that David Fawcett attended the NASACRE AGM.
• Page 3: Add that Cllrs Blatchford and Heydon, Madeline Diver and Joel Roszykiewicz attended the establishment of the Bracknell Forest Faith and Belief Forum.
• Page 3 and 4: Delete “Madeline Driver” and insert “Madeline Diver”.
• Page 4: Add Kathy Hadfield, Co-opted Member to Membership

(Action Jo Fageant)

Madeline Diver to report

Madeline Diver tabled a report on the workshop which set out the main purposes and the issues discussed.  The results were due to be published in January and she stated that it might be appropriate to report back when the evidence was in the public domain.

(Action: Madeline Diver)

a)            Work Programme

Having completed its work on the syllabus and in the light of the recent changes in membership, the meeting considered its future work programme. The following issues were suggested for inclusion:

·         How schools are finding the new syllabus

·         The impact of the English Baccalaureate on RE

·         The extent to which schools are following the requirements regarding collective worship.

·         A joint SACRE conference

·         RE teachers attending to talk about their work.

It was agreed that the current SACRE Development Plan be circulated for review.

(Action: Martin Surrell)

b)           Interfaith Events

Madeline Diver reminded members about the Faith and Belief Forum “Compassion in Action” event on 27 November, details of which had been circulated.

7 March 2013, Council Chamber

4 July 2013, Education Centre

7 November 2013, Council Chamber

7 March 2013, Council Chamber

4 July 2013, Education Centre

7 November 2013, Council Chamber