Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Lisa Fenton, Julie Gordon, Ben McMullen, County Councillor Yousuf Motala, Helen Sage and Francis Williams.

It was noted that the meeting was inquorate with no representative from Group 1 (Christian and other religious denominations which appropriately reflect the principal religious traditions in the area).

Resolved: - That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2022 be agreed as a true and accurate record.

Afrasiab Anwar MBE will attend and give a presentation

Afrasiab Anwar MBE, Community Team Leader, Lancashire County Council Education Improvement - Equality & Diversity Team, attended and gave a presentation on the work and remit of the team.

Specific reference was made to:

-  The four strands of the work of the team, namely English as an Additional Language; Gypsy Roma Traveller; Community; and Support for Equalities in Schools.

-  Work around community cohesion.

-  The work of Ellie@Burnley Campus (Faith Centre).

-  The Equality Act and Protected Characteristics.

-  Reality – Equality – Equity – Justice.

-  The Lancashire Equality Mark, and the six badges, for which over 50 schools are now registered.

-  Inclusive Curriculum.

-  School Admissions.

-  The Pyramid of Hate.

-  The impact of COVID-19.

Following the presentation, Members made a number of comments:

-  How people of no religion can be incorporated.

-  The common themes and values across all faiths.

-  Links with other local authorities and sharing of good practice - Burnley is held up as an example of good practice.

-  The challenges faced by Schools of Sanctuary, e.g., resources and the impact of refugees and visitors, some of whom have funding attached.

-  The potential for including teaching and learning in the Equality Mark.

-  That RE and faith and values cuts across all subjects and stays with the individual for life.

-  Engagement with Governing Bodies.

-  Those schools with the Equality Mark are in the main primary but an increasing interest from special schools and secondary with a special schools' network recently established.

Members thanked Afrasiab for his interesting and thought-provoking presentation and for the important work being undertaken by his team.

A copy of the presentation was subsequently circulated to Members.

Alison Lloyd, Special Support Adviser, School Improvement Service presented the Report of the SACRE Officer making particular reference to the following:

-  The Annual Report of the Lancashire SACRE for 2021/22 had been submitted to NASACRE and the Department for Education and an acknowledgement had been received from the Department for Education.

-  A Freedom of Information request was being dealt with on the subject of funding for the Lancashire SACRE.

-  The Spring edition of the SACRE Newsletter was included in the agenda pack.

-  RE Subject Leaders from three schools (community and voluntary controlled) would attend the next meeting on 24 April to share their practice.

-  Joanne Harris had agreed to host a Key Stage 3 RE pupil debate at County Hall in June. The date is still to be confirmed.

-  SACRE Members who had not yet reviewed the websites of those secondary schools which had not responded to the RE annual survey would do so as soon as possible. A reminder about completion of the survey would be sent direct to headteachers and the survey, together with a message from Peter Martin, had been posted on the Schools' Portal.

-  Further discussions would take place with special schools following the training led by Lat Blaylock.

Alison Lloyd introduced the census data which had been circulated as part of the agenda pack which included national data and data by local authority area in England and Wales.

John Wilson commented that more localised detail was available online and that there might be an opportunity for RE Units of Work. Alison referred to some detailed snapshots of the data which had been included in the SACRE Newsletter (page 13 of the agenda pack) for the Lancashire districts of Preston, Burnley, Lancaster and Ribble Valley. It was felt that the balance was still right in terms of the RE syllabus and that the census data would be something the SACRE would return to again in the future.

Alison Lloyd reported that Paul Smalley, NASACRE Executive Assistant, had drafted a paper on the implications of the removal of the School's Bill 2021. It was agreed that this be discussed at the next meeting on 24 April. It was noted that, whilst there was now no legal framework for academisation of all schools by 2030, it remained the Government's preference that schools would continue to move towards academisation. Faith schools, in particular, would be likely to carry on the process of academisation with, possibly, less of an appetite amongst community schools.

Peter Lumsden, Building Bridges Burnley, provided an update the main points of which were as follows:

-  It would be interesting to look at any correlation between those schools which have, or are in the process of aiming for, the Lancashire Equality Mark and those engaging with Building Bridges Burnley.

-  A school in Thornton-Cleveleys had been in touch to express in interest in the work of the project.

-  In terms of the offer to schools, 45 schools had now signed an SLA with an average of one or two each week making an enquiry.

-  Interest from high schools was increasing.

-  More faith visitors were being recruited and Peter had met with the Buddhist Centre in Burnley and was looking to make links with a mosque in Blackpool and a synagogue in Bury.

John Wilson referred to the University Chaplaincy at Lancaster being multi-faith and Peter confirmed that he had links to it.

A number of SACRE Members had submitted profiles to Ben McMullen, but several remained outstanding. It was agreed that this would be a worthwhile exercise and that schools, in particular, would benefit from an increased visibility of SACRE and its membership. It was suggested that contributions should be no more than 100 words and the Clerk was asked to re-circulate Ben's profile by way of a reminder to Members.

None received/circulated since the last meeting

Members noted that, since the publication of the agenda, one item of correspondence (NASACRE Briefing 34) had been received and circulated.

County Councillor Cheetham referred to the recent Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration in Burnley which she had attended and which is always attended by a Rabbi from Manchester who had been involved now for several years. Councillor Cheetham also referred to the students in uniform who attended from Holy Trinity School and laid a wreath.

Keith Pennington referred to the speech for Holocaust Memorial Day which was recently given to a meeting of the Lancashire Humanists. If any Member was interested in the text of the speech, Keith could be contacted via the e-mail address in the SACRE Newsletter (page 15 of the agenda pack).

The next scheduled meeting of the SACRE will be held at 10.00am on Monday 24 April 2023 in Committee Room C - The Duke of Lancaster Room, County Hall, Preston.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Lancashire SACRE would be held at 10.00am on Monday 24 April 2023 in Committee Room 'C', County Hall, Preston