Agenda and minutes

On the nomination of Madeline Diver, seconded by Mark Olney, David Fawcett was elected Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

On the nomination of the Chairman, seconded by Mark Olney, Madeline Diver was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 July 2015.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 July 2015 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Minute 70 – no further action had been taken on the proposed letter to schools regarding responses to the Collective Worship Survey, as this had been overtaken by events as summarised in paragraph 4 of the Annual Report (see agenda item 6 below).

Minute 70 – Madeline Diver reported that she was still seeking further information about the teaching syllabus of the Social and Cultural Association of Dastyar.

Minute 73 – The discussion support pamphlet produced for ‘Meeting the Challenge’ following the keynote speech at the NASACRE AGM in May was available on the NASACRE website, to which all members had access.  It was agreed that a copy of the discussion pamphlet should be circulated to members.

(Action: Anne Andrews)

The Committee considered the Annual SACRE Report 2014-15.  Anne Andrews explained that the report had been drafted in a different format this year, to conform to new guidelines issued by NASACRE.  The report comprised a number of sections, including most notably:

• Introduction (by the Chairman)
• Standards, quality and provision of RE
• Standard, quality and provision of Collective Worship
• Advice and training offered to LA, schools & governors
• Management of SACRE
• Bracknell Forest GCSE Religious Education results 2012 - 2014

Further reference was made to the disappointing response to the Collective Worship survey undertaken in January 2015, but it was noted that this reflected the position across the country and was not peculiar to Bracknell.

Anne Andrews indicated that she would be offering further training sessions for teachers on British Values and RE, subject to confirmation from Bracknell Forest Council.

It was noted that the exam results section would be updated to take in the latest figures available, including other key stage results.

The Committee endorsed the draft Annual Report for finalisation and submission to NASACRE.

(Action: Anne Andrews / Chris Salt)

The Committee considered a draft SACRE Development Plan for 2015 – 2017.  Anne Andrews indicated that the draft was based on the previous Plan with some minor additions or updates.

The Committee worked through the Development Plan point by point and the following issues were raised:

(1)      For the newsletter issued to SACRE and schools, it was suggested this should comprise two sections, one related to Religious Education and one about Collective Worship.  It was usually distributed by via email to all schools using the Bracknell Forest database of addressees.  Anne Andrews also distributed copies direct to the RE teachers she had contact details for.  In order to ensure the newsletter reached the right people, it was suggested that it should include guidance as to who copies should be passed to in each school.

(2)      With regard to ensuring members were well informed about SACRE matters, it was noted that some newer members had not received a copy of the locally agreed syllabus.  Although this was available to view on the Council’s website, some members expressed a preference for a hard copy and Chris Salt agreed to bring some copies to the next meeting.

(3)      In relation to the pan-Berkshire SACRE Hub, Anne Andrews circulated a paper about how this could be developed and the way in which this could be progressed.  This would entail setting up a joint meeting of all 6 Chairs of the Berkshire SACREs to agree a strategy and work plan, with costings and timing.  The Committee endorsed the concept of developing the pan-Berkshire Hub and agreed that the Chairman should request the Council to provide funding estimated at £950 per annum.  This would cover the Bracknell share of the cost of a Hub Manager (2-3 days per term @ £500 per day) and for Directory Development (teacher time funded @ £200 per day for 6 days).

(4)       The Hub was currently producing some materials and resources and the Committee agreed that these should be shared on the SACRE web pages, the Diocesan website and the Discovery website.

(5)      With regard to ‘Enabling an event for pupils’, it was suggested this should be borne in mind for the future.

(6)      Before devising a new RE competition for schools, it was suggested it would be worth seeing whether this could be built on to work already being carried out.  Mark Olney undertook to look into what primary schools were currently doing in this respect and report to the next meeting.

(7)      Some amendment to the draft plan was necessary where some duplication had occurred.

The Committee endorsed the Development Plan to guide its work over the period 2015 – 2017.

(Action: Anne Andrews

Chris Salt

David Fawcett

Mark Olney)

The Committee received a copy of the SACRE RETool: Reporting and Evaluation Toolkit.  The Toolkit highlighted five key dimensions of a SACRE’s work and provided an exemplification of good practice.  The five dimensions were:

1. promoting improvement in the standards, the quality of teaching, and provision in RE
2. evaluating the effectiveness of the locally agreed syllabus
3. promoting improvement in the provision and quality of collective worship
4. managing the SACRE and building the partnership between the SACRE, the LA and other key stakeholders
5. contributing to cohesion across the community and the promotion of social and racial

The Committee decided to look in detail at section 2: The effectiveness of the locally agreed syllabus.  The exemplifications showed descriptions of ‘Developing’, ‘Established’ and ‘Advanced’ to enable SACREs to evaluate their standing.

Key Area: 2a – The review process

Considered to be better than ‘Developing’ but there was a need to work on the strengths / weaknesses of the current agreed syllabus.  It was felt that the SIAMS (School Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) reports could assist – Anne Andrews agreed to collate the SIAMS reports for the area for the information of the Committee.

(Action: Anne Andrews)

Key Area: 2b – The quality of the local Agreed Syllabus

Considered that ‘Established’ was appropriate, given positive feedback on the Berkshire syllabus from teachers.  The syllabus had to be reviewed every 5 years, with the next review due in 2017.  In the past, all members of SACRE had been members of the Agreed Syllabus Committee formed to carry out the review.

Key Area: 2c – Launching and implementing the agreed syllabus

Considered to be meeting the ‘Established’ criteria.

Key Area: 2d – Membership and training of the Agreed Syllabus Conference

Key Area: 2e – Developing the revised agreed syllabus

Key Area: 2f – Making best use of National Guidance

These three areas were not relevant at this stage.

The Committee agreed to look in detail at the Toolkit Section 5: Contribution of SACRE to promoting cohesion across the community, at the next meeting.  It was suggested that Section 5 of the Toolkit be re-circulated with the agenda.

Chris Salt explained that the GCSE results data available was still only provisional and would not be validated until January 2016.  A new data analysis tool was being introduced which had delayed access to the subject by subject and school by school information about GCSE and A level results.  However, it was hoped this would become rectified in the next fortnight and the information would be emailed out to the Committee as soon as it was available.

(Action: Chris Salt)

Chris tabled a paper for the Committee showing national Religious Studies results for GCSE 1993 – 2015 showing percentage achievement at each grade.  The Committee was encouraged to see the steady year by year increase in the number of entrants for GCSE Religious Studies.  At most schools in Bracknell, entrance for GCSE Religious Studies examination was optional.  The Committee noted from the data in the Annual Report the excellent results in Religious Studies for Edgbarrow School.

The Chairman expressed concern at the number of vacancies amongst the Teacher Union representatives on the Committee and asked members to try and seek out potential new teacher representatives.

Anne Andrews indicated that Ruth Jackson, Headteacher at Crowthorne School, was keen to serve on the Committee and it was hoped she could take up membership under the appropriate Union vacancy.

(Action: Priya Patel)

Pan-Berkshire Hub – The documents are available to view on the Council’s web site with this agenda.

Inter Faith Week

Madeline Diver reminded the Committee about the Inter Faith Week meeting taking place on Wednesday 18 November 2015 at St Joseph’s, commencing at 7 for 7.30 pm.  Six speakers from different faiths had agreed to attend and speak on the subject of freedom of speech and respect.  There was some doubt as to whether email notification of the event had been sent to all members.

NASACRE Website

Anne Andrews asked all members to log on to the NASACRE website to peruse the information, materials and resources available there.

The next meeting will be held on 3 March 2016.

The next meeting would take place on 3 March 2016.