Agenda and minutes

To note the membership of the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education as follows

Group 1 (Christian and Other Religious Denominations) – Miss J Webb, Mrs E May, Mrs J Wigg,  Mrs F Hawkes, Miss S Malone, Mrs C Elapatha, Mr Papadopoullos, Mr R Chakkedath, Mrs N Younosi, Vacancy – Sikh community, Mrs J Grant

Group 2 (Church of England) – Ms N Brownfield, Mrs V E Corbyn and Ms C Bostock, Mrs B Naden, Miss R Walters, Mrs N Paterson

Group 3 (Teacher Associations) – Mr W Chambers, Ms K Burke, Mrs R Joyce, Mr A Fowler, Mrs Caisley

Group 3 (Co-opted Members) Miss T Kelive, Miss E Pope, Mr A Gillespie

Group 4 (Local Authority) Mrs C Bell, Mrs T Dean, Mr S Manion, Mr M J Northey

1.    The Chairman agreed to contact the Assistant Secretary of Gravesend’s Gurdwara to invite a Sikh representative to join the Standing Advisory’s Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

2.    Mr Gillespie had moved to Northumberland and would no longer be contributing as a co-opted Member.

3.    Mrs N Paterson provided formal notice of her resignation to the Chairman that would come into effect on 31 December 2017. The Canterbury Diocesan Board of Education sought to nominate a new representative.

Apologies for absence were received from Mrs N Paterson and Mr M J Northey.

Mrs L Game attended as a substitute for Mr M J Northey.

To receive and agree the minutes of the last meeting of the SACRE on 14 June 2017.

1.    Resolved that the minutes of the previous SACRE meeting held on 14 June 2017 are a correct record and that they be signed by the chairman subject to the following amendments:

(a)  Apologies to be recorded for Mrs F Hawkes , Ms N Brownfield, Mrs R Walters, Mrs R Joyce, Miss S Malone and Mr A Fowler

To receive and note the minutes of the SACRE Conference held on 14 June 2017, to note that that the work of the Conference has been completed and agree that the Conference is now disbanded

1.    Resolved that the minutes of the previous SACRE Conference held on 14 June 2017 are a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman and that the Agreed Syllabus Conference had now disbanded.

None declared

Interim report on commission

http://www.commissiononre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Commission-on-Religious-Education-Interim-Report-2017.pdf  

Commission on Religious Education Interim Report Consultation

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CoREConsult1  

The state of the Nation: A report on Religious Education provision within secondary schools in England:

http://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/State-of-the-Nation-Report-2017.pdf

1.    Ms Smith-Orr  gave a brief summary of the national reports:

·         Commission on Religious Education Interim Report Consultation

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CoREConsult1  

·         The State of the Nation: A report on Religious Education provision within secondary schools in England:

http://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/State-of-the-Nation-Report-2017.pdf

2.    Particular attention was paid to the Interim Report on Religious Education for All that provided a comprehensive overview of the legal, educational and policy frameworks for Religious Education (RE) for schools in England. The Commission on Religious Education asked that a survey be completed and Ms Smith-Orr requested that all Members of SACRE submit their answers by 1 December 2017.

·           Interim report on Religious Education for All:

http://www.commissiononre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Commission-on-Religious-Education-Interim-Report-2017.pdf   

3.    Members were asked to voice their concerns and submit these to The Commission on Religious Education.

4.    RESOLVED that the reports be noted.

Members of SACRE are asked to note the progress of the annual report

1.    Ms Smith-Orr provided a verbal update to Members and said that it was a legal requirement that SACRE publish an Annual Report to inform relevant parties of the advice that SACRE had given to Local Authorities and any actions taken to support RE in schools. However due to late publication of exam results Ms Smith-Orr was unable to conclude the Annual Report and sought agreement from Members to publish the report as it stood and finalise it once results had been confirmed.

2.    The Chairman agreed to write a short statement for the Annual Report and for Ms Smith-Orr to include this within the final version.

3.    Ms Smith-Orr said that all members would receive a draft copy of the report and requested that all feedback be sent to her by 5 December 2017 before sign off.

4.    RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To receive the SACRE Forecast Report 2017-2018

1.    Ms Smith-Orr introduced the Budget Update 2017-2018 and advised Members that increased financial pressure on Kent County Council to make a £62.5m saving might have an impact on the funding allocated to SACRE.

2.    Mr Manion said that a draft budget would be published in December 2017 and finalised at County Council in February 2018. SACRE will then have a finalised budget for March 2018.

3.    Mr Manion said that he would discuss central government funding for SACRE at the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee on 5 December 2017 and report back to SACRE Members.

4.    Ms Smith-Orr advised Members that there should not be any surplus monies by the end of the financial year. She agreed however that should this be the case, a criterion would be drawn up for Primary and Secondary schools who wish to apply for additional funding. Mr Manion agreed to discuss the matter with Mr Gough.

5.    RESOLVED that Members noted the budget update.

SACRE is asked to agree an amendment to paragraph 5 of its constitution to read “SACRE may also include co-opted members. Co-opted members will be appointed to the most appropriate group and will have a voice but not a vote within that group.

1.    Ms Smith-Orr introduced the report that proposed an amendment to the Kent SACRE constitution which would align it with the Circular published by the Department of Education governing the operation of SACREs.

2.    RESOLVED that the proposed decision to agree an amendment to paragraph 5 of the constitution to read “SACRE may also include co-opted members. Co-opted Members will be appointed to the most appropriate group and will have a voice but not a vote within that group,” be endorsed.

To receive an update on the Kent SACRE Development Day scheduled to take place on Wednesday 13June 2018.

1.    Ms Smith-Orr introduced the report that set out the draft agenda for the Kent SACRE Development Day that was due to be held on 13 June 2018. She said that the National Association of Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (NASACRE) encouraged SACRE members to enrol on team building days and this was proposed at the SACRE meeting held in the summer of 2017.

2.    Views were expressed by Members that a Development Day was not an efficient use of time or money. Instead, it was agreed that NASACRE’s Self-evaluation Tool-kit would be completed within the SACRE meeting and used to determine areas for future development. It was agreed that this would be incorporated as training at the SACRE meetings.

3.    RESOLVED that members did not agree to the Kent SACRE Development Day as it was not an appropriate use of funding.

To receive an update from the SACRE Chairs Meeting on 9 October 2017.

1.    Mrs Younosi introduced the report that provided an update to Members on the SACRE Chairs’ meeting.

2.    In response to Members concerns about monitoring RE within schools in Kent, Ms Smith-Orr said that she had carried out an exercise with other SACRE’s across the country and gave each member a list of schools. It was agreed that this exercise could be done within Kent and a decision on this would be made on 6 March 2018.

3.    RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The receive the report on the launch of the Interfaith Forum in Kent on 14 November 2017

1.    Ms Smith-Orr and Mrs Younosiintroduced the report that provided an update on the launch of the Interfaith Forum on 14 November 2017. She said that Mr Hill (Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services) had supported the view that a website could be created to capture Interfaith activity and would act as a central point for people to log contact details. Mr Hill agreed that a meeting will be held in May 2018.

2.    Mrs Younosi advised Members that an Interfaith Group would be established in Maidstone and led by the Vicar of the United Reformed Church

3.    RESOLVED that Members of SACRE note the report.

To review the events held on 21 and 22 November to launch the Agreed Syllabus on Religious Education for Primary Schools

1.    Ms Smith-Orr provided a verbal update on the Syllabus launch and said that she had received positive feedback from all whom attended.  Further meetings were due to be held on the following dates:

·         23 January 2018 and 24 January 2018 (primary school)

·         19 February 2018 (secondary schools)

Link to syllabus launch dates:

https://www.kelsi.org.uk/news-and-events/news/primary/launch-of-the-new-agreed-religious-education-syllabus-for-kent-schools

2.    Ms Smith-Orr advised Members that RE Today would consider additional dates if it could not facilitate the volume of interest.

3.    RESOLVED that members note the update.

Prevent Briefing for SACRE Members

Following the meeting there was a 30 minute Prevent Briefing for SACRE Members. This was not part of the public meeting.