Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Zoom Meeting. View directions

Media

Items
No. Item

40.

Welcome and Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Isabel Mattick.

 

41.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 111 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on

Minutes:

The minutes of the last meeting held on 4 July 2022 were noted.

 

It was highlighted that a hyperlink found within the minutes was not working and a new link was to be circulated by Anne Andrews.

 

42.

Matters Arising

Updates on the draft handbook and the report card.

Minutes:

Anne Andrews, Oxford Diocese Advisor spoke of the work that was to come out of the draft handbook. There were three groups that had been working on developing sample schemes of work and sample units. The groups were due to give an interim report in April 2023, with a final report in 2024.

 

Thanks were given to those who had completed the template that had been sent out.

 

43.

Membership Update

Schools and unions have been approached about nominating teachers to fill the four Group C vacancies.  The Executive Member for Children, Young People & Learning will be asked to consider the nominees and appoint the most suitable to fill the vacancies prior to the next meeting.

Minutes:

Dolapo Ogunbawo was appointed to SACRE as the Church of England’s representative.

 

Work was ongoing to fill vacancies in Group C.

 

44.

Feedback from Hub and Syllabus Question Responses from Groups A & B

To receive feedback from hub and syllabus question responses from Groups A & B.

Minutes:

Councillor Dr Gareth Barnard, Chair introduced the item by stating that a fair number of responses to the questionnaire had been received.

 

A Berkshire wide initiative had been launched to seek feedback about the initial syllabus. The responses were to be used to shape the next steps.

 

Representatives on SACRE in Groups A and B, along with the co-opted humanist representatives, had been asked to think about what content would need to be taught to children in order to answer the syllabus questions. There was a hope expressed that the feedback received would show if the questions were suitable, whether changes needed to be made to the questions and whether more comprehensive guidance could be put together to support teachers with the content as they deliver the locally agreed syllabus.

 

A follow-up was to be issued once responses had been received and reviewed.

 

45.

NASACRE SEF (Section 1 on the management of SACRE and partnerships) pdf icon PDF 436 KB

To provide feedback on where members believe the Bracknell Forest SACRE sits in terms of Section 1 of the NASACRE SEF.

Minutes:

Anne Andrews, Oxford Diocese Advisor introduced the item. NASACRE had put together a tool for SACRE’s to do as a regular self-assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. Bracknell Forest SACRE had completed the previous incarnation of this document around five years prior. It was put forward that a section of the document should be considered in each SACRE meeting to provide an on-going picture of Bracknell Forest SACRE’s strengths and weaknesses.

 

Section 1 was considered by representatives. It asks the following:

 

“How far does the SACRE’s partnership with the LA enable it to carry out its responsibilities effectively?

 

It was suggested that the criteria found within the document would give an indication of what Bracknell Forest SACRE would be required to do in the future in order to obtain a higher score in this area.

 

It was highlighted that Bracknell Forest SACRE was at the time quorate more often than it had been in the past.

 

During a period of general discussion, the following points were noted:

 

·        It would be preferred to consider sections collectively rather than individually.

·        There was a consensus in answering criteria 1(a), that BF SACRE was ‘established’. It was suggested that elements of BF SACRE were more advanced in that, for example, a strategic plan was in place. However, it was noted that there was a lack of funds available to be ‘really strategic’. Also, BF SACRE was not at the time linked to other local work and projects.

·        In answering 1(b) the consensus was that BF SACRE was, again, ‘established’ but with some elements of advanced. Meetings had been well attended by all four committees and agendas and papers were regularly distributed well in advance and representatives had time to consider them. Although the group did at the time move beyond routine matters to consider wider issues about the quality of RE and collective worship, there was a suggestion that because the group did not get far enough beyond them to be considered advanced at that time.

·        In answering 1(c) the consensus was that BF SACRE was a combination of two or three levels. It was suggested that work was required in this area. New members were not regularly given induction training. Induction training through the HUB rather than through individual SACRE’s was to be explored. The SACRE was, however, more diverse at the time than it had been in the past. There was also a suggestion that SACRE was co-opting appropriately.

·        In answering 1(d) there was a consensus that BF SACRE was ‘established’ with a strong element of advanced. A development plan was in place and was reviewed regularly. It was being updated more than annually and was giving the group a direct focus. A representative of BF SACRE was present at almost all national events.

·        In answering 1(e) the consensus was that BF SACRE was ‘established’ with some areas of advanced. The suggestion was that the SACRE fell short of full advanced because the group did not receive detailed and well-analysed information  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

46.

Workforce Data Survey from NATRE and Suggested Responses pdf icon PDF 77 KB

To consider the workforce data survey from NATRE and suggested responses.

Minutes:

In November each year the Department for Education does a workforce census. Schools are meant to report the number of hours that subjects are being taught.

 

Representatives reviewed data from November 2021. Most secondary schools in Bracknell were reporting reasonably good RE hours – RE was being taught in every year group.

 

It was noted that some values on the report were 0. The reason for this was not that RE was not being taught in these schools, but rather there had been issues with the schools reporting of their RE teaching hours.

 

47.

Updates from Schools and Faith Representatives pdf icon PDF 46 KB

To receive brief verbal updates from school and faith representatives.

Minutes:

Madeline Diver, Group C: Teachers and teachers’ representatives spoke on Bracknell Forest Council’s Equality and Diversity policy. The policy was to run from 2022-25. The team producing the policy had looked at interfaith week and the variety of faith groups within the borough.

 

An advert had been published in the Community and Charity Newsletter in October 2022 giving members of different faith groups the opportunity to speak about what their faith means to them, how they lead their lives according to their faith and what the borough means to them.

 

Videos were to be created and an advert that had been put out across the borough had received a number of responses.

 

It was noted that there was a lot in there that could feed into the third action of the Forward Plan. It was highlighted that there was an opportunity to enlarge the project and do things that were suitable for going into assemblies. Given that the videos were to be produced by the Council, all the safeguarding provisions would automatically have been done.

 

A plan was to be devised regarding how this was to be done. It was noted that there were members of SACRE that could contribute.

 

Alan Montgomery made members of SACRE aware that he had spoken to year ten and eleven students at Edgebarrow School about Humanism.

 

Ossie Anderson-Peled, Group A: Jewish Representative had sent some members of SACRE a video that she had produced with a teacher at Wescott Infant School. It was noted that the video was a superb resource.

 

Clare Hawkins, Group C: Teacher Representative gave an update on ongoings at Garth. Big trips had had to be postponed by a year, although local trips were still to go ahead.

 

Interfaith assemblies were to take place and year eleven students were assisting with the preparation for them. Sixth formers and trainees were to run a revision day looking at Christianity, Philosophy and Ethics at Reading University.

48.

Feedback from RE Network

To discuss feedback from the RE Network.

Minutes:

Tracy Bradshaw, Local Authority Adviser introduced the item. The RE Network was continuing as a virtual event although there was a desire to go back into schools. Kennell Lane school had been secured to host the Summer 2023 RE Network.

 

10 colleagues had attended the most recent RE Network and had been impressed. A focussed discussion had been held on what it means to be an effective subject leader and how to inspire and assist members of staff.

 

The schedule for 2023 had been set.

 

It was noted that there had been a desire among some attendees of the RE Network to understand how to adapt RE to support young people with SEND.

 

Tracy Bradshaw, Local Authority Adviser announced to members of SACRE that 9 schools had undertaken inspections by OFSTED. Bracknell Forest was ranked 7th out of 163 Local Authorities – with 98.1 good and outstanding schools in the Borough.

49.

Feedback from SACRE Newsletter

To discuss feedback from the SACRE newsletter and items for the next edition.

Minutes:

SACRE members were invited to contribute to the January edition. Rajdip Marok-Dhanju, Group A: Sikh Representative was happy to contribute.

 

50.

NASACRE 2022/23 Virtual Training Programme pdf icon PDF 350 KB

To note the NASACRE 2022/23 virtual training programme.

Minutes:

Members were invited to contact Derek Morgan if they wished to be booked on to training courses. It was noted that Bracknell Forest SACRE was able to send as many members of BFC SACRE to these courses as they wanted to, free of charge, as an additional fee had been paid.

 

51.

Forward Plan

To discuss the forward plan and any further progress and plans.

Minutes:

Madeline Diver, Group C: Teachers and teachers’ representatives introduced the item. The question of how to progress with community engagement was posed and it was suggested that an online meeting of the sub-group should be held before the next meeting of SACRE.

 

Members were invited to give their thoughts on the production of videos. Councillor Ankur Shiv Bhandari, Group D: Bracknell Forest Education Authority offered his assistance with the videos and noted that his role on SACRE could tie in with his position as the first Mayor of the Borough from an ethnic minority group in this project.

 

Anne Andrews, Oxford Diocese Advisor highlighted to members that free training on how to host young people at places of worship was being offered by the RE Hub.

 

It was noted that not all places of worship were adept at hosting young people.

52.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

NASACRE was looking for a new Vice-Chair. Members were invited to contact Anne Andrews if they wished to discuss it.

 

NASACRE was in the process of putting together an FOI on funding.

 

Culham St Gabriel’s were offering free online training related to the world views discussion that had taken place at the previous meeting of SACRE.

 

NASACRE had been keen on schools doing something to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. It was noted that local schools were hosting events individually and there was scope for the Council and schools to work together. Reading Council was hosting a memorial event. The issue was to be investigated further after the meeting.

 

Rev Carol Dunk, Group B: Church of England Representative announced that the RHSE event had been cancelled and moved online. The event was to take the form of a conversation about RHSE in primary schools from a faith perspective. Reverend Dunk had also worked with others to plan a presentation on behalf of all faiths. The presentation was to be delivered in June 2023.

 

Madeline Diver, Group C: Teachers and teachers’ representatives announced to members that the Interfaith Forum had decided to participate in wreath laying at the Remembrance Memorial Service on behalf of people from overseas countries.

 

An event to mark Interfaith Week was to take place on Thursday 17th November. Six different speakers were due to speak on the role of prayer within faith. The session was to be advertised in schools.

 

53.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting is due to be held at 5pm on 15 March 2022:

Minutes:

The next meeting is due to be held at 5pm on 15 March 2022.

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk