Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: 007a and b, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BU. View directions

Items
No. Item

1.

Election of Chair

Minutes:

The Governance Officer opened the meeting and sought nominations for the position of Chair of SACRE for 2019/20.

 

No nominations were received.

 

To enable the meeting to proceed, Councillor John Gilliver agreed to Chair for this meeting only. Nominations for Chair would be sought at the next meeting scheduled in February, 2020.

 

AGREED that the election of a Chair of SACRE be re-considered at the next meeting of SACRE in February, 2020.

2.

Election of Vice-Chair

Minutes:

Councillor Gilliver sought nominations for the position of Vice-Chair of SACRE for 2019/20.

 

AGREED that Father Dan Parkinson be elected as Vice-Chair of SACRE for 2019/20.

 

3.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

 

4.

Minutes of the meeting held on 26th June, 2019 pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Minutes:

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting held on 26th June, 2019 be agreed as a true record, subject to the ‘Dates of the next meetings of SACRE’, in relation to Recommendation of Minute No.5, be amended to read as follows:-

 

·         Thursday, 27th February, 2020, at 4.30pm, at the Civic Office

·         Thursday, 25th June, 2020, at 4.30pm, at the Civic Office

5.

Membership of the Committee (to follow)

Minutes:

The Governance Officer reported that in order to ensure that SACRE had good representation from all faiths and denominations, the following 5 new Members have been appointed to SACRE:-

 

  • Father Dan Parkinson (Assistant Curate at Doncaster Minster – Church of England representative)
  • Carole Cahm (Sheffield Synagogue – Christian Representative)
  • Sally Faulkner (NASUWT, Sandringham Primary School – Teacher representative)
  • Tara Moxon (NEU, Rowena Academy – Teacher representative)
  • Danielle Heath (NEU, Rowena Academy RE Lead – Teacher representative)

 

Members joined the Chair in welcoming the new Members and introductions were made by new and existing members.

 

AGREED that the new appointments to SACRE be noted.

6.

Update from RE Today

Minutes:

Lat Blaylock, Consultant for RE Today, tabled a document and provided an overview of the following key national items of interest:-

 

  • NATRE Secondary Survey 2019: Results Presented to the DfE

It was highlighted that the key findings of NATRE’s survey carried out this year, had found that 50% of Academy pupils were not receiving the Religious Education they were entitled to at Key Stage4.

 

  • Ofsted: New Interest in RE

The new Framework had highlighted that all pupils in maintained schools, must receive their entitlement to RE, age-appropriate relationships and sex education, in line with national curriculum requirements.

 

  • Strictly RE Conference: 25th January in London

SACRE was invited to send a primary, secondary and a special school teacher representatives to the national RE Conference, and NATRE would pay for their attendance. Those attending would be asked to provide feedback to SACRE.

 

  • New BBC Bite size Programming and Online Resources for 11-14s

The BBC had produced a new suite of materials for KS2.  Programs were now available for (4-7), (7-11), (11-14) and (14-16) year olds, which covered Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Budhist and Seik traditions and communities.  It was also reported that a similar suite of materials had been produced for KS3, and was expected to be broadcast in April, 2020.

 

  • NATRE Meetings with the DFE and Parliamentarians

NATRE and the RE Council had attended the Conservative Party Conference this year, to promote their work.

 

  • NASACRE hears from DfE about school compliance on RE

Highlights focussed on the requirements for schools to teach RE, including what was expected of Academies.

 

  • Better RE in 1000 Primary Schools: Can SACRE nominate schools for this RE Improvement Project

It was noted that 3 Doncaster Schools had signed up to this project earlier today. SACRE was asked whether they would be willing for NATRE to promote the Project to all Doncaster Primary Schools that were eligible. Its focus was to improve RE across the whole school.  It was noted that the cost for each person attending would be £55 for the 2-year project.

 

Lat Blaylock also provided feedback following the secondary and primary training that had taken place earlier today, which focused on the Ofsted Inspection Framework.  Lat Blaylock felt that the training had been well received and reported that the evaluation forms would be shared with Members.

 

Following the verbal update, SACRE thanked Lat Blaylock for his work and efforts in encouraging new members to join SACRE.

 

During discussion SACRE requested that the Council give consideration to funding 20 primary schools to attend the ‘Better RE in 1000 Primary Schools’ Project at a cost of £1,100.  Sameena Choudry would raise this request with Paul Ruane, Head of Learning Provision.

 

Further to a request from Reverend McCready, Lat Blaylock agreed to send a digital copy of the Locally Agreed Syllabus to Father Parkinson.

 

In relation to the February 2020 training event, Sameena Choudry reported that the evaluation feedback received from teachers at the last event, would be reviewed and where possible, addressed in future training.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Web Page Update

Minutes:

Sameena Choudry provided a slide presentation on changes made to SACREs Web Page, to ensure that it was up to date. The web page included details on:-

 

  • Diversity of Faiths on a rolling programme
  • The membership and remit of SACRE
  • Key Religious Organisations
  • A web link to the Council Chamber website to access SACRE agendas and minutes
  • Training dates for RE Teachers for 2019-20 to be booked via ‘My Doncaster’
  • Resources to Support Schools
  • Key Publications
  • Useful Links – weblink for schools to obtain a copy of the locally agreed Syllabus for RE

 

Further to a question from a member, it was noted that due to copyright laws, electronic copies of Doncaster's Locally Agreed Syllabus for RE 2019 - 2024, was not available to view online.  However, electronic copies were available on request by contacting Sameena Choudry. It was noted that there would be a cost to purchase a hard copy of the Syllabus.

 

During discussion, Pahani Kaur suggested that it would be helpful for the web page to provide a link to the contact details of all local Faith Organisations so that schools could arrange visits.  It was also proposed that the web page include details of the Protocols in place for schools wanting to visit faith organisations, to signpost people to information in relation to who to contact, opening times and whether there was a charge to visit.  Members welcomed this proposal. It was also suggested that the web page include photographs of local faith organisations places of worship.  It was agreed that prior to Sameena Choudry including a web link of contacts on the web page, she would write to all local faith organisations seeking their permission to include their contact details and photographs on the web page and the approval process for such visits, and the designated contact person.

 

Sally Faulkner spoke of her recent visit to the Doncaster Minster, which she found to be a very useful and positive experience, and had been very valuable to the children who had visited.  She asked whether more visits to other faith organisations could be offered to schools.  To assist schools making such requests to faith organisations, Sameena Choudry agreed to produce a pro-forma for schools to use to submit such requests, and that this be shared with SACRE members before being included on SACREs web page. 

 

Members were requested to review the information on the Web Page and feedback any changes to Sameena Choudry outside of the meeting.

 

SACRE thanked Sameena Choudry for her work in updating the website, which they felt was accessible, interesting and stimulating.

 

 

AGREED that

 

(1)      the verbal update on the Web Page, be received and noted;

 

(2)      subject to the approval of each faith organisation, the web page include a link to their respective contact details, opening times, who approves requests to attend such organisations, and costs for schools wanting to visit; and

 

(3)      a letter be sent on behalf of SACRE to all local Faith Organisations, seeking their permission to include  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Draft Annual Report 2018-2019 and Draft SACRE Action Plan for 2019-2020. pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Minutes:

Members received the Draft Annual Report for 2018-19 which outlined the activities that had been undertaken by Doncaster SACRE in the last Academic Year 2018-2019.  Members were also presented with a draft Action Plan for 2019-2020.

 

Sameena Choudry highlighted the areas within the Annual Report that required further work prior to publication; namely information to be included on the locally Agreed Syllabus; improvements to be made to the front cover picture; and Lat Blaylock to provide information in relation to the 2 training courses, (‘Spiritual, Moral and Cultural development – 20th March 2019’ and ‘Future Directions Workshop on RE’), as identified on Page 8 of the report.

 

In reviewing the report, Richard Iball suggested that the word ‘brilliant’ in the first sentence of the third paragraph, on page 6 of the report, be amended; with the words ‘excellent or high quality’. Sameena Choudry undertook to review this.

 

Reverend McCready confirmed that he was happy with the report as drafted, and commended Sameena Choudry for her excellent work. It was subsequently agreed thatSameena Choudry liaise with Reverend McCready for him to provide narrative for inclusion in the report, on his own personal reflections of the work of SACRE over the past year.  Subject to the changes outlined above, it was agreed that Sameena would check and finalise the contents of the report, and then publish.

 

Following a request from members at the last meeting, Members were presented with a draft Action Plan, which set out 3 key priority areas, including a number of actions for SACRE to focus on during the 2019-2020 Academic Year.  Sameena Choudry reported that the plan provided a strategic overview of what SACRE was realistically able to achieve over the next year.  It was noted that the majority of actions in relation to Priority Area 1, had since been completed, or were due for completion in the near future.

 

During consideration of the Action Plan, members attention was drawn to a typographical error in relation to the date, as identified in the third column of Section 3.1 of Priority 3 of the Plan, which should read as ‘2020’ and not ‘2010’.

 

Members were asked to contact Sameena Chourdry outside of the meeting, if they were not happy with the priorities, or wanted to put forward any activities for inclusion in the draft Plan.

 

To conclude, the Chair on behalf of SACRE, thanked Sameena Choudry for her work in drafting the Annual Report and Action Plan.

 

AGREED that

 

(1)      the draft Annual Report 2018-19, be approved, subject to the above amendments being incorporated into the Annual report, prior to its publication; and

 

(2)      the draft Action Plan for 2019-20 be approved, subject to the typographical error, as outlined above being amended and comments received by Sameena Choudry outside the meeting.

 

9.

Key Stage Four Data and Statistics for 2018 and Draft Statistics for 2019 (to follow)

Minutes:

Sameena Choudry reported that the data in relation to the attainment results for GCSE RE this year, would not be validated until January, 2020, and asked members if this item could be deferred until the next meeting. However, she stated that last year’s GCSE results were available for members’ consideration.

 

AGREED that a report and presentation on Key Stage 4 Data and Statistics for 2018 and Draft Statistics for 2019, be deferred for members consideration at the next meeting of SACRE in February, 2020.

 

10.

Date and time of next meeting

Minutes:

The date of the next meeting of SACRE was confirmed as Thursday, 27th February, 2020, at 4.30pm, at the Civic Office.

 

Sameena Chourdry reported that the provisional dates of future meetings would be submitted to the next meeting in February, prior to being approved by full Council.  Members were asked to bring their diaries to the meeting to agree the dates.

 

AGREED

 

(1)          to note the next meeting of SACRE was to be held on Thursday, 27th February, 2020, at 4.30pm in the Civic Office; and

 

(2)          that the dates of future meetings of SACRE for 2020/21, be included on the agenda for members consideration at the next meeting.