To receive the draft Annual Report cor consideration and, if approved, to adopt it.

The draft Annual Report was considered by the Advisory Council.  Mrs Weston raised an issue concerning the low numbers of pupils being entered for the RE courses at certain schools as shown in the accompanying statistics.  This might indicate that schools were not fulfilling the requirements of the Agreed Syllabus or in Academy Schools, their funding agreement. Members were concerned that if pupils were not studying RE – a mandatory provision – it begged the question about what they were doing.  It was suggested that a letter be drafted (by the Professional Advisors and signed by the Chair) which after discussion with the Education Service could be sent on SACRE’s behalf enquiring from head-teachers how RE was being studied in their schools.  Members felt that the Education Service needed to be asked about what actions it was appropriate to take to ensure that all schools applied the requirement to provide religious education. It was further agreed that the Professional Advisors would pursue the matter with the Education Service and that the clerk would also raise the matter.  A report would be prepared and presented to SACRE at its next meeting.

Members asked whether further training sessions after the January 2016 one could be recorded in in the Report.  It was agreed that the clerk would contact the Education Service and enquire and, if there were, would add them to the final version being sent to Council in July.

One member raised concerns about the quality of teaching in schools relating to Islam.  The Advisory Council felt that this highlighted an area where it could become more involved and, with a closer working relationship with the Education Service, provide expertise, advice and support for the on-going training of teachers in order to assist them in delivering the RE Syllabus effectively and without prejudice or discrimination.

There was discussion about the Education Portal and whether bulletins were monitored in any way.  Who was it that read them and how could it be verified that the information contained within them was being implemented?  Members were informed that bulletins were e-mailed to schools and this raised the question of how it could be audited to see who actually received these bulletins and how they were applied.  Various ideas were put forward, but it became clear that a greater understanding about how it worked was necessary to ensure that proposals which would be effective were made.

There was discussion about the use of teachers to lead training for others, but this evoked a strong reaction which drew attention to the already over-stretched work-load of the teaching profession and asserting that it would be unreasonable to give them even more work to do.  A different approach needed to be found.

The clerk said that the Annual Report would be a public document once published in the agenda.  It was also available on the Council’s website and members suggested that the Council’s Communications Team could be asked to make a press statement to ensure that it was given greater coverage.

Councillor Ford stated that the Children’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee would ask the Education Service to provide it with information relating to examinations and for a report on its statutory duties towards SACRE. 

Mrs Weston observed that it was vitally important for the Education Service to make use of SACRE by referring items for discussion by SACRE and by receiving reports from SACRE. In this way, the education service would ensure that it fulfilled its legal obligations.  Now that many schools had become – or were becoming - academies, this made the bond even more necessary.  SACRE members had a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer and this provided an exciting opportunity for greater dialogue.

Councillor Ford added that it would be advisable to approach the Cabinet member for Children and Learning and enlist his support.

Resolved:

1:      To adopt the Annual Report subject to verification of further training and to Recommend the Annual Report to Council.

2:      To send a letter to all secondary schools enquiring about how they met their responsibilities in respect of the teaching of RE.

3:      The Professional Advisors would make enquiries of the Education Service to determine what systems were in place to check compliance in relation RE.

4:      To discuss the Portal with the Education Service and how best to ensure that bulletins reached the appropriate staff. Could a mechanism be set up to verify this and assess its efficacy?

5:      A report to be presented to the October SACRE to highlight the outcomes of the above and propose further courses of action where necessary or appropriate.