Agenda item

1.    Mrs Smith-Orr presented to Members the WIRE Award for Schools initiative that was introduced by Bristol and South Gloucestershire SACREs and had since been adopted and tailored to meet the needs of other SACREs across the country. Mrs Smith-Orr said that this was a free award that could be adopted and offered by Kent SACRE for schools and Teachers that were dedicated to ensuring that their RE provisions were broad and inclusive. In order for the school to achieve the award, a teacher from that school must complete the following 4 activities:

1.    Attend an RE conference / RE course / RE Network meeting.

2.    Take a group of pupils to visit a Christian place of worship and meet members of the Christian community which worships there

3.    Take a group of pupils (or staff) to visit a place of worship of another faith and meet at least one community member

Or Arrange for pupils to welcome someone of a non-Christian faith to school as part of a series of lessons on that faith

4.    Arrange an RE event in school, or locally, which includes aspects of more than one faith, or focuses on a religion or worldview not held by most of the school

Or Enter a Competition to do with RE (such as ‘Spirited Arts’)

As part of the work carried out by Bristol and South Gloucestershire SACREs, they awarded multiple certificates to schools where class Teachers had met all the criteria. Mrs Smith-Orr said that Kent SACRE could also adopt the approach taken by Bristol and South Gloucestershire SACREs and encourage RE subject leaders or Head teachers, whose school met the criteria to address Kent SACRE and a certificate would be presented by a Member of SACRE to that school. Mrs Smith-Orr said that all four elements had to be completed within an academic year, however, suggested that this be changed to provide Kent schools with a yearly, rolling programme. With regards to one person from a school having to attend an RE conference or network meeting, Mrs Smith-Orr said that this could be achieved through the training events that Kent SACRE held and again, this may encourage those schools who adopt the WIRE award to attend the training events.

(a)  In response to requests from Members, Mrs Smith-Orr agreed to carry out the following actions:

·         Amend the WIRE document to reflect Members comments and suggested changes

·         Email Mrs Younosi to request that her contact details be added to the revised WIRE document for schools to request specialist speakers from the Interfaith network

·         Include the Canterbury District Interfaith Association contact details within the WIRE document

·         Publish the revised WIRE document on the KELSI website as well as the Kent and Medway hub website

·         Request that the WIRE document be circulated within the KELSI e-bulletin to teachers

(b)  Members welcomed the WIRE award and agreed to cascade the information to relevant religious and faith groups as well as schools within their areas.

2.    RESOLVED that the information received be noted.