Agenda and minutes

Elaine Saunderson, representing the Religious Society of Friends, attended the meeting to make a presentation in support of the Lancaster Quaker Meeting's application for Observer status on the SACRE.

Five students from Hollins Technology College attended the meeting as representatives of the Youth SACRE/Youth Voice together with their teacher, Kate Murry.

Apologies for absence were presented on behalf of Miss L Fenton, Miss I Hussain, Mr S Jogi, CC Y Motala, Mr B McMullen, Mrs K Parekh, Mr C Pountain, Mrs J Singh, Mrs Y Taylor and CC A Thornton

Confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting of the Lancashire SACRE held on 28 November 2011.  Minutes attached.

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2011 were amended to show that Ms Jo Busby and Mr B McMullen had attended the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting of the Lancashire SACRE held on 28 November 2011, subject to the above amendments being made, be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

i)  Co-opted position on the SACRE representing higher education:

Members are asked to consider a joint proposal from Edge Hill University and the University of Cumbria with regard to filling the vacant co-opted post representing higher education on the SACRE.  The proposal is for the position to be alternated on a yearly basis, with each representative serving one year on and one year off the SACRE.

ii)  Observer status:

Elaine Saunderson to give a presentation to the SACRE in support of the application by the Lancaster Quaker Meeting for Observer status on the SACRE.

Members are asked to consider approving Observer status based on the protocol as agreed at the meeting on 28 November 2011:

·  Would the addition of the group's representative benefit the teaching of RE in Lancashire schools?

·  Did the group represent a significant faith or belief group in Lancashire?

·  Had the group demonstrated a clear commitment to the principles, aims and objectives of SACRE?

i)  Co-opted position on the SACRE representing higher education

RESOLVED:  That the proposal for joint representation on the SACRE for a co-opted member representing Teacher/Trainer in the higher education sector put forward by Edge Hill University and the University of Cumbria with the position being alternated on a yearly basis, with each representative serving one year on and one year off the SACRE, be agreed.

ii) Observer Status

Mrs Elaine Saunderson spoke to the SACRE in support of the application by the Lancaster Quaker Meeting for Observer status on the SACRE.  Members considered the application with regard to the protocol for granting Observer status to groups not already represented on the SACRE.

RESOLVED:    That approval be given to Lancaster Quaker Meeting for Observer status on the SACRE.

Pupils from the Hollins Technology College to report on the Youth SACRE, Face to Faith and the success of the Face to Faith film short – 'Muhammad in Accrington' – Inspiring Me.

Five pupils from the Hollins Technology College, Accrington, attended the meeting and spoke to members on the following:

·  Their film faith short 'Muhammad in Accrington – Inspiring Me' which was winner of its category in the Tony Blair Faith Foundation film competition 'Faith Shorts' and which was premiered at the Tony Blair Faith Foundation's 2^nd Annual Film Shorts Film Awards at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) on 6 December 2011 in London.  Faith Shorts is a global film competition providing young people with the opportunity to express their faith through film.  In 2011 the Faith Shorts competition was open to young people between the ages of 14 and 18. Entrants were asked to submit a three-minute film that expressed, through their own words, how faith inspired them.

• The Tony Blair Faith Foundation's Face to Faith project involving video calls to schools world-wide in order to exchange information regarding faiths

• Progress made so far by the Youth SACRE in developing ideas for involving parents in RE.  (The Youth SACRE had been asked to work on this to support the priority in the SACRE Development Plan – " to develop links with parents to support the effective delivery of the Agreed Syllabus and Collective Worship").  Several suggestions had been made, amongst which were the following:

The youth SACRE representatives indicated that they would be happy to share their ideas with other schools and it was suggested that this could be done via conferences.

RESOLVED:  That: 

i)  Pupils from the Hollins Technology College be congratulated on

the BAFTA award winning film faith short 'Muhammad in Accrington – Inspiring Me'.

ii)  Members of the Youth SACRE be thanked for their continuing hard

work.

Minutes of the meeting of the Quality and Standards Sub-group which took place on Tuesday 17 January 2012 attached at Item 5.

Members noted the minutes of the meeting of the Quality and Standards Sub-group which had taken place on 17 January 2012.

Paper attached at Item 6.

Members received a report regarding the importance of providing support for schools in developing RE and Collective Worship and noted that responsibility for undertaking training rested with schools themselves and that support for schools was largely marketed.  The programme of support in Lancashire included:

• A suite of marketed training courses for primary, secondary and special schools on the new Agreed Syllabus and Collective Worship

• Work of the Advanced Skills Teachers – it was noted that funding would be available for ASTs for one further year.  After that the Secretary of State envisaged the creation of 'specialist leaders in education'

• Marketed consultancy was currently available, provided by Helen Harrison.

• The Lancashire RE and SACRE website.  It was reported that the website – an outstanding resource which was constantly being updated, was sought after by schools outside Lancashire asking to buy into it.

• Network meetings for RE Teachers.  Jo Crabtree, AST primary, had suggested that a small number of meetings could be offered in each area of the county in Autumn 2012 and Spring 2013 at no extra cost to schools since Jo had offered to run them using AST time.  Jo informed members that she would be very grateful for ideas of how best this might be achieved.

• A Primary RE Conference.  It was suggested that a primary RE conference could be run in the Summer Term or early Autumn 2012 which would mean that support would be available to teachers across the year.

• The planned development of a Good Practice website where schools could share successful ways of teaching and learning RE.

Members are asked to consider proposals for training of new and existing SACRE members as set out at Item 7.

Members considered proposals for training for SACRE members which the Quality and Standards Sub-group had drawn up at the meeting on 17 January 2012.

Training would be in two parts:

• Induction for new members – materials to include:

Letter from the Chairman of the SACRE

Leaflet explaining the role and responsibilities of Lancashire SACRE

Information booklet produced by the National Association of SACREs (NASACRE)

On-line links to: the Agreed Syllabus, (which would require the provision of the password), Mirrors and Doors, the SACRE Annual Report and the SACRE Development Plan.

• Ongoing training for SACRE members

Training to be provided through SACRE meetings and would include a review of training needs annually.  Opportunities for training to include:

RESOLVED:  That the proposals, as set out, for the training of SACRE members be approved.

Members will be asked to split into small groups to discuss setting up a protocol for visits by SACRE members to schools to observe Collective Worship.

Members were asked to split into small groups to discuss setting up a protocol for visits by SACRE members to schools to share in Collective Worship.

A number of suggestions were made by the groups, which would be given full consideration by the Quality and Standards Sub Committee.

RESOLVED:  That the Quality and Standards Sub-group be asked to draw up a protocol for school visits by SACRE members to share in Collective Worship, with regard to the comments made by members.

Paper attached at Item 9 regarding changes in the Ofsted evaluation schedule of the inspection of maintained schools and academies within the context of spritual, moral, social and cultural development (SMSC).

Members noted a paper by Alan Brine which set out changes in the Ofsted Framework for School Inspection with implications for RE and which had come into force in January 2012.

SMSC was to be considered as a whole school, whole curriculum responsibility and the SACRE could focus on the part that RE could play within the broader context. 

Further to a request from Building Bridges in Burnley to help raise the profile of the celebrations being held week commencing 18 June 2012 to mark their tenth anniversary, the SACRE is asked to consider moving the June SACRE meeting from Monday 11 June to Monday 18 June 2012 and to hold the meeting at a venue in Burnley.

Members discussed the request from Building Bridges in Burnley to help raise the profile of their tenth anniversary celebrations being held week commencing 18 June 2012.  The proposal was to move the June SACRE meeting from 11 June to 18 June and to hold it at either the Town Hall in Burnley or the Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre.

RESOLVED:   It was unanimously agreed to move the June 2012 meeting of the SACRE from Monday 11 June to Monday 18 June and to hold it at the Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre in order to help raise the profile of the tenth anniversary celebrations of Building Bridges in Burnley.

Harsha Shukla reported that she had related the story of Hinduism in response to requests from schools in support of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development.

i)  Members to have discussed the proposal to change the date of the next meeting from Monday 11 June to Monday 18 June 2012 and to hold it at a venue in Burnley.

ii)  Members are asked to consider the following suggested dates for the next meeting schedule of the SACRE:

Monday 24 September 2012 

Monday 26 November 2012 (AGM)

Monday 4 March 2013

Monday 10 June 2013 

All meetings to commence at 10am and venues to be confirmed.

i)  The date of the next meeting had been agreed as Monday 18 June

2012, to take place at 10am at the Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre, Burnley.

ii)  That members should inform the Clerk to the SACRE in due course

if the following suggested schedule of dates for meetings of the full SACRE clashed with any religious festivals:

Monday 24 September 2012 

Monday 26 November 2012 (AGM)

Monday 4 March 2013

Monday 10 June 2013