Agenda and minutes

Nominations of Chairman will be sought at the meeting

1.     The clerk welcomed members to the meeting and asked for nominations for Chairman.

2.    Mrs Younosi nominated Mr S Manion as Chairman and Miss Webb seconded that nomination.

3.    No other nominations were received.

RESOLVED that Mr Manion be elected Chairman of Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

Nominations of Vice-Chairman will be sought at the meeting

1.    Mr Manion nominated Mrs Younosi as Vice-Chairman and Miss Webb seconded that nomination.

2.    No other nominations were received.

RESOLVED that Mrs Younosi be elected Vice-Chairman of SACRE.

Group 4 - County Members

Mr S Manion

Mr M Northey

Mrs T Dean

Vacancy

1.    Mrs Younosi requested that SACRE consider appointing Mrs Grant as a permanent member.  Mr Papadopoullos proposed and Mr Manion seconded that Mrs Jackie Grant should be invited to be a permanent Member of SACRE.

2.    This was agreed by all Members.

RESOLVED that Mrs Grant be a permanent Member of SACRE. 

Apologies received from Mrs F Hawkes, Ms N Brownfield, Mrs R Walters, Mrs R Joyce, Miss S Malone and Mr A Fowler.

[minutes of the meeting were subject to approval following amendment of apologies]

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting on 7 March be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman. 

1.    The Chairman welcomed Mr Bartley, from the Church of Latter Day Saints, to the meeting.

2.    In response to a question from Mrs Younosi Ms Smith-Orr confirmed that following a discussion with the KCC colleague the £10,000 for the syllabus review was available.

3.    Members asked what the costs allocated to ‘Corporate Property, Kent Estate Management’ were made up of. 

POST MEETING NOTE:

4.    Members considered moving meetings currently held in Oakwood House to Sessions House.  Ms Smith-Orr undertook to investigate refreshments and parking arrangements at Sessions House.  It was noted that Mrs Burke does not drink hot drinks. 

RESOLVED that Members noted the Budget update.

Primary

Knowing You Knowing Me – 5 July 2017, Highworth Grammar School, Ashford 10-14.30 (28 Schools attending)

1.    NASACRE AGM – 16 May 2017 York – oral update by Rabbi Cohen

2.    Update on National Commission by the REC  religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk,

3.    Teachers Hub

1.    A Primary Conference, Knowing You Knowing Me was due to take place on 5 July.  This was due to include 4 pupils and accompanying adults from 27 schools around Kent and would be held at Highworth Grammar School, Ashford.

NASACRE AGM – 16 May 2017 York

2.    The Chairman read out a brief report from Rabbi Cohen who had attended the NASACRE.  Mrs Younosi explained that she had been attending NASACRE since its inception, she had felt on occasion that the cost and time made the meeting prohibitive to attend. Mrs Younosi and Mr Manion were keen that members represent SACRE rather than their personal agenda or their own faith. 

3.    There was a suggestion that the money usually spent on the conference be used for team building event for SACRE. 

4.    One Member concurred with the comments made about the conference but raised concerns over a Local Education Authority area the size of Kent not being represented at a national level. 

5.    In response to a question about whether it was possible to see what was on the agenda in advance of the conference the items were available but not before booking took place. 

6.    Ms Smith-Orr suggested that SACRE put forward one representative to the NASACRE and also held a team building day.  Ms Smith-Orr undertook to prepare some information for a team building day. 

Update on National Commission by the REC 

7.    Ms Smith-Orr updated Members on the National Commission by the Religious Education Council.  She explained that the final conclusions would be available in another year but the report and conclusions were available on the following link:  www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk

8.    The consultation closed on 31 July and one Member asked how schools were being made aware of the consultation?  Ms Smith-Orr confirmed that is had been advertised and she would check whether it was on the ‘Kelsi’ website. 

9.    A couple of Members commented that Kelsi was not being used in schools and information was not being passed on.  Mr Northey confirmed that if Members felt that SACRE was not prominent enough they should make an official request to KCC.

Teachers Hub 

10. A Teachers Hub was being held in Gillingham on Saturday 17 June.  This was organised by Canterbury Christ Church University and involved both primary and secondary colleagues looking at issues such as understanding Christianity.

11. SACRE contributed £200 out of last years budget to the Teachers Hub and the attendees were volunteers.  Sometimes the Hub was held in a school so no venue cost was incurred. 

RESOLVED that

a.    1 SACRE Member would attend NASACRE and Ms Smith-Orr would organise a SACRE development day over the summer. 

b.    Ms Smith-Orr and Mr Manion write to Mr Roger Gough on behalf of SACRE requesting that SACRE is made more prominent on the Kelsi website.

Briefing at Oakwood House, Maidstone - Mon.16 Oct. 2017

SACRE Meeting:  SACRE:Tues.28 Nov.2017-County Hall, Maidstone

RESOLVED that Members note the dates of 2017 meetings

RESOLVED that the meeting dates for 2018 be as follows:

Briefings                                                                   SACRE Meetings

5 February 2018 (change from 10 Feb)               6 March 2018

21 May 2018                                                             26 June 2018

22 October 2018 (change from 22 Oct)                27 November 2018

Unfortunately no speaker was available at this meeting.

1.    The Chairman expressed his horror at the recent events in Manchester and London.  At the Chairman’s request a minute’s silence was observed; Mrs Younosi offered a prayer.

2.    Mrs Younosi discussed with Members the meaning of the word ‘hijab’, which meant not just head scarf or veil but also modesty.  Muslims observed hijab by not drawing unwanted attention to themselves. 

3.    The meaning of the word ‘Jihad’ was a personal struggle to lead a good life and do right; she explained that suicide was a sin for a practising Muslim; a cardinal sin and one of the Ten Commandments which in Islam were the same as in Judaism and Christianity, given to Moses by God.    

4.    There were concerns that some individuals carrying out the attacks were brainwashed converts who were not brought up with the religion.  It was completely against Islam to take any life especially innocent life; a huge problem in Islam was illiteracy and the desire for some to have power.