Agenda item

Progress report on the Implementation of the Development Plan

To be tabled at the meeting.

Minutes:

A progress report providing updates under each of the priorities was circulated by Mrs A Lloyd. For each priority the work completed so far and the next steps had been considered. The next steps would help to inform future QSS agenda items.

 

Priority 1 – To raise standards by improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in R.E.

 

The website was live and feedback received had been extremely positive. There was some materials such as Buddhism that still needed completing. Mop up training that been planned for March for those that were unable to attend the conference in November. It was proposed that the conference would become an annual event. The Chair emphasised that the profile of the SACRE had been raised due to the excellent work that had been carried out by Mrs A Lloyd, Ms J Harris and Ms J Crabtree on the website and the conference.

 

A discussion took place in regard to Universities and there being a missing link, a suggestion included making contact with Teaching Schools. Mrs H Shukla was aware of a contact at the University of Cumbria, Mr N Harris and it was agreed she would try and make contact. 

 

Priority 2 – The SACRE works in effective partnership with the LA to monitor and evaluate standards and the quality of provision in R.E.

 

The next steps for this priority would be to provide clear guidance to schools on how standards would be measured in 2017.

 

Priority 3 – To improve the provision of collective worship

 

The next step would be to develop a protocol for dealing with any requests for disapplication and the granting of a determination. The protocol will not need to be complicated, a letter could be submitted to SACRE and the SACRE could agree it. A paper would be circulated to SACRE in the future to agree the process.

 

Priority 4 – To ensure that the SACRE is effectively managed and works in close cooperation with the LA and other key stakeholders

 

School visits were discussed and at the last meeting a suggestion had been made about writing up any visits. The next planned visit was to Lea County Primary School in Ashton.

 

A student debate on R.E. had been booked in for the 28 February 2017 in the Council Chambers at County Hall for Pupil Voice. Students from different schools would debate 3 topics, members of SACRE were welcome to attend the event.

 

Priority 5 – To develop the contribution to R.E. of community cohesion

 

Mr A Anwar informed SACRE members that 37 primary schools and 4 secondary schools were now signed up to the Faith Centre. Positive feedback from schools was generating further interest to other schools. A networking event had been planned for the end of term due to the level of interest. As more and more schools came on board, additional support for the Faith Centre was required such as volunteers. The Lancashire Forum of Faiths was supporting this need. The aim was to have representation from all the major faiths as volunteers to help, they would then be trained up.

 

Mr A Anwar updated members on 2 recent school visits. One school was reluctant to learn about Christianity and the other, a secondary school was reluctant to learn about Islam. Question and answer sessions took place at both schools. In another project 2 secondary schools were coming together to look at the aftermath following Brexit and the recent events in America.  The project would involve 10 full days of sessions, following which, a series of short films would be produced highlighting positive messages.