Agenda item

The Chair opened the proceedings by explaining that today’s meeting provided the opportunity to give careful consideration to the proposals for taking forward the new RE syllabus, including agreeing a timeframe for reviewing the content of the curriculum and date for its launch.

In introducing the report, Jonathan Sharp began by informing Members that he would be stepping down as Clerk to SACRE, following his recent departure from Doncaster Council.  Jonathan introduced Inderjit Soor to the group, who was due to take over his role as Clerk to SACRE in a few weeks, and he explained that until then, he would be assisting Inderjit as part of the transitional arrangements to ensure a smooth handover.

Jonathan then updated Members on the latest position regarding the implementation of the Agreed RE syllabus 2018 and advised that the next steps would be for SACRE’s curriculum development sub-committee to start working with the provider (RE Today) to review the curriculum and tailor it so that its contents met the needs of Doncaster young people and teachers.  This process would also need to involve a group of key stakeholders who would be consulted on the curriculum, prior to its launch.  Jonathan concluded by thanking the members of SACRE for their support and commitment during his time as Clerk.

Having introduced herself to the group, and given a brief summary of her professional background, Inderjit stated that she was looking forward to working with Members in taking the new curriculum forward.

Discussion followed, during which the Chair suggested identifying a cross section of Doncaster schools to invite to take part in the consultation exercise, and Members agreed that the following schools should be invited to participate with the aim of ensuring that a wide range of communities in Doncaster were represented:

·       Hall Cross Academy

·       Norton Junior School

·       Town Field Primary School

·       Sunnyfields Primary School

·       Marshland Primary School

·       Toll Bar Primary School

·       Hexthorpe Primary Academy

Members felt that, in addition to the above schools being directly contacted, a global invitation should also be sent out to all schools in the Borough.  Members also acknowledged the importance of including parents in the consultation, and not just the teachers and children.  The Chair also suggested that other youth groups outside of the education system should be approached, such as the 71st Doncaster Hunafa Scout Group.

It was suggested that Doncaster Council’s Communications Team would be able to provide support and assistance with the publicity for the consultation exercise and launch event for the new curriculum.  This would also ensure that the exercise followed the Council’s adopted protocols for carrying out consultation.

During discussion on the proposed methods of publicising the consultation exercise and platforms to be used for engagement, Members recognised that whilst a large proportion of people now had access to social media, it was still important to also use other methods of consultation for those people who did not use the internet, in order to ensure that communities were fully represented.  Members suggested that other means of engaging with communities could be via Family Hubs and Doctors’ practices.

Arising from a suggestion by a Member, the Committee agreed that it would be helpful to establish a second sub-committee, in addition to the curriculum development sub-committee, to oversee the stakeholder consultation exercise and arrangements for the launch event.  It was agreed that this second sub-committee would be named the outreach sub-committee and that the chairing of the two sub-committees would be shared between the Chair and Vice-Chair of SACRE.

In terms of the next steps, Inderjit informed Members that she would liaise with RE Today as regards the support and resources available to assist in carrying out the stakeholder consultation, and she would then consult with the Chair and Vice-Chair of SACRE to agree dates for the sub-committees to meet over the coming months and inform SACRE Members accordingly.

After Members had given a vote of thanks to Jonathan Sharp for his work as Clerk to SACRE in reinvigorating the group, it was

RESOLVED that:-

1)    The Curriculum Sub-Committee be convened in the Summer/Autumn term 2018 with the remit of fully evaluating the proposed curriculum, its contents and materials to support teaching;

2)    An ‘Outreach Sub-Committee’ be established to work alongside the Curriculum Sub-Committee to co-ordinate the process of engagement with key stakeholders and arrangements for the launch event for the new syllabus; and

3)    The Clerk to SACRE liaise with RE Today and Doncaster Council’s Communications Team with regard to arrangements for consulting with stakeholders and publicising the launch event, and agree a timeline for planning and implementation of the Agreed RE Syllabus 2018 in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of SACRE.