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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) |
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Date |
8 July 2024 |
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Present |
Penny Coppin-Siddall (Faith/ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) Ben Rich (Vice Chair) (Faith/Jewish)
Group B Sue Bland (CoE)
Group C Taco Michiels (Joseph Rowntree School) Andy Tod (Ralph Butterfield Primary School) Diane Norton (York St John University
Group D Cllr Robert Webb (Chair) (City of York Council) Cllr Emilie Knight (City of York Council) Cllr Sarah Wilson (City of York Council)
LA Officer Maxine Squire (Assistant Director Education and Skills, City of York Council)
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Apologies |
Imam Ammar (Group A) Karen Vincent (Group A) Ian Hodgson (Group A) Daryoush Mazloum (Group A) Jospeh Everdell (Group B) Cllr Rowley (Group D) |
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65. Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest (6.02pm)
Apologies for absence were received and accepted for Councillor Rowley BEM, Imam Ammar, Joseph Everdell, Karen Vincent, Ian Hodgson and Daryoush Mazloum. There were no declarations of interest.
66. Minutes and matters arising from the minutes (6.02pm)
Resolved: That the minutes of the meetings held on 22 January 2024 be approved with the amendments as listed in tbe 19 March 2024 minutes and 19 March 2024 be approved and signed as an accurate record subject to Diane Norton’s name being amended from Naughton and Diane Norton, not Sue Bland attending the conference as detailed in minute 61.
Matters Arising:
· Minute 60: Cllr Knight would feedback on drafting SACRE leaflets after seeking additional support from Interfaith.
· It was agreed that Diane Norton would arrange a visit to the maintained schools RE group with Maxine Squire.
· Update on Interfaith week: Penny Coppin-Siddall reported that work on Interfaith week was in progress. In York, Interfaith Week was to begin on 9 November 2024 with the opening activity to be an informal breakfast on from 9.00 – 10.00am on 9 November. This would be followed by an activity at Clifton Ings at 10.30am. Penny Coppin-Siddall undertook to share the Interfaith Week Plan with SACRE Members. It was noted that it was the 35th anniversary of Interfaith Week in York.
· Request for information for schools: The Chair and Maxine Squire had received two requests from external organisations to send information to schools. They suggested that SACRE put together a catalogue of events from different organisations to send to schools. It was suggested that the RE Hub could be accessed to support the information in the catalogue. It was acknowledged that it was not SACRE’s role to promote different faiths. Following discussion it was;
Resolved: That Maxine Squire would arrange for a link to the RE Hub on the SACRE webpage and that Members would feedback comments on this to her.
Reason: In order to direct schools to the RE Hub for further information.
67. Monitoring of Standards (6.17pm)
Maxine Squire reported that the Ofsted ‘Deep and meaningful? The religious education subject report’ (April 2024) found that there was a good quality of RE across a range of schools. It also found that there was a need for good RE subject knowledge, access to support for training in the subject, time in the curriculum and a curriculum that builds understanding and progression. Maxine Squire noted that there was national syllabus for RE, which made it difficult for Ofsted to develop a national framework. She added that in it’s report, Ofsted noted that there was a wide variety in childrens understanding of RE with there sometimes being an overemphasis on the peripheral parts of RE. Ofsted were also concerned that depending on the skills of the teacher and how RE was taught, sometimes pupils understanding of RE was superficial.
It was noted that part of the role of SACRE in York was to understand how RE was delivered and to consider the quality of RE in York schools. Members discussed the findings of the Ofsted Report. Andy Tod gave an update on the local primary RE network and it was noted that a number of teachers had asked for some of the information that was shared when the York RE syllabus was launched. It was also reported that at the NASACRE conference there was some training available and there was a national content standard for RE in England. Members noted the need to look at the York RE syllabus in line with the national standards in RE and the need to offer development to RE teachers. During discussion it was suggested that SACRE could look at different syllabuses used by Academies. The Chair raised the suggestion of young people meeting with SACRE annually. Following discussion it was;
Resolved: That;
1. Maxine Squire would circulate the Ofsted ‘Deep and meaningful? The religious education subject report and national standards’ to Members
2. Members to feedback to the Chair what could be provided to schools between the syllabus conferences.
Reason: To support SACRE’s monitoring of RE standards in York schools
68. Review of SACRE development plan (6.31pm)
Maxine Squire reported that there was a number of task and finish pieces of work underway, including Cllr Knight looking at a York SACRE leaflet. It was:
Resolved: That;
1. There would be a full update on the strands of the development plan, linking to the Ofsted subject report at the next meeting.
2. Members write a sentence or two about themselves for the SACRE website regarding who they were and why they were on SACRE.
Reason: In order to review the development plan.
69. Quality Kite Mark training for organisations or places of worship offering visits into schools (6.34pm)
Diane Norton reported that she had discussed the Quality Kite Mark training with a member of Kirklees SACRE and they had suggested that the organisations be referred to the RE Hubs for training on school visits. The Chair noted that links to RE Hubs would be good practice.
Resolved: That the update be noted.
Reason: To support organisations training on school visits.
70. Feedback on SACRE school visits (6.36pm)
It was reported that there had been two visits to schools. Sue Bland, Cllr Knight and the Chair had visited St Oswald’s Primary School and Ben Rich, Cllr Knight and the Chair had visited Fishergate Primary School. It was noted that the Headteacher and Chair of Governors at St Oswald’s Primary School had requested feedback on the visit and Chair noted that he would write a summary of the visit to feedback to the school.
Members’ feedback on the visits was that:
· The visits were uplifting and they came away pleased that the children were learning well and kind to all religious views.
· They were looking forward to visiting secondary schools.
· They enjoyed the visits and were impressed with the engagement of children.
· The formalised curriculum at St Oswald’s was good and at both schools pupils were incredibly engaged.
· In both settings the whole class was engaged with children being given the opportunity to ask questions.
· There was a Christian focus at St Oswald’s as it was a CoE school and Fishergate was a diverse school where the emphasis of ethos came across strongly and non religious world views came up at the Fishergate visit.
Members discussed visits to secondary schools. Maxine Squire undertook to contact Fulford School regarding a SACRE visit. It was reported that there would be a discussion regarding SACRE visits to schools at the next primary RE network meeting. ;
Resolved: That;
1. SACRE visit two secondary schools during the 2024-25 academic year and two primary schools during the 2025-26 academic
2. SACRE Members that visited St Oswald’s and Fishergate Primary Schools would write a report to feedback to those schools.
Reason: In order for SACRE to see how RE is delivered in their visits to schools.
71. Feedback from the NASACRE Conference (6.52pm)
Taco Michiels and Diane Norton gave feedback on the sessions and workshops they attended at the 2024 NASACRE Conference. They noted that the message from the conference was collaborative working ad how SACREs could facilitate it. It was noted that NASACRE was changing to a charity as and result membership fees may need to increase. It was noted that during the conference, reference was made to ‘Activist SACREs in 2024 - 35+ things a good SACRE can do!’ During discussion an update was given on Higher Education providers delivering RE teacher training.
Members discussed take up and delivery of RE at GCSE and A Level in York. It was explained that at secondary school this depended on where RE was placed in option blocks. It was noted that this would be examined as part of the review of RE monitoring in the Autumn term. Regarding the RE GCSE offer in York it was explained that most secondary schools offered the half or full GCSE with faith schools tending to offer to the full GCSE. A Member explained how RE was delivered at their secondary school. Members then;
Resolved: To examine the Activist SACREs in 2024 - 35+ things a good SACRE can do! At the next meeting.
Reason: In order to see how SACRE can support schools.
72. RE Hubs newsletter (7.11pm)
Members received the RE Hubs newsletter. Members gave feedback on the font which Maxine Squire undertook to feedback to Olivia Seymour. It was suggested that a reference to the Hubs could be included in the SACRE leaflet and Cllr Knight agreed to look at this as part of the leaflet.
Resolved: That the RE Hubs newsletter be received.
Reason: In order to be kept up to date on the RE Hubs.
73. NASACRE Update (7.13pm)
Members received NASACRE Update 39.
Resolved: That NASACRE Update 39 be received.
Reason: In order to be kept up to date on the work of NASACRE.
74. Correspondence on complaints/determinations (7.13pm)
It was reported that there had been no complaints to SACRE.
Resolved: That Members be updated on complaints.
Reason: In order to be kept updated on complaints to SACRE and determinations of complaints.
75. Any Other Business (7.14pm)
SACRE Membership
Following an approach to a Member from Mark Jones, York Buddhist Centre, to join SACRE it was:
Resolved: That Mark Jones, York Buddhist Centre, be invited to join SACRE as a Buddhist representative on Group A.
Reason: In order to widen representation on SACRE.
Youth SACRE
Cllr Wilson reported that she had begun looking at Youth SACREs and at other SACREs there was a Youth Voice to SACREs. It was suggested that Interfaith Week could be a starting point for this. Following consideration, it was:
Resolved: That Cllr Wilson continue to develop working on a potential Youth SACRE of all age groups and no more than ten Members with Penny Coppin-Siddall with the potential Youth SACRE to be started during Interfaith Week.
Reason: In order to develop the work of SACRE.
Teaching of RE in other subjects
A Member reported a matter of a faith being taught incorrectly in a history lesson. Maxine Squire advised that that faith was part of the GCSE history curriculum. Members discussed the teaching of RE in different subjects. It was confirmed that complaints would be dealt with through schools’ own complaint procedures.
Guidance document on Collective Worship
Maxine Squire reported that this was last considered by SACRE in 2017. It was:
Resolved: That the Guidance document on Collective Worship be included on the next meeting agenda.
Reason: In order to consider the Guidance document on Collective Worship.
76. Future meeting dates (7.31pm)
15 October 2024 at 6pm at West Offices
27 January 2025 at 6pm at Wet Offices
11 March 2025 at 6pm at West Offices
15 July 2025 at 6pm at West Offices
Cllr Webb, Chair
[The meeting started at 6.00pm and finished at 7.32pm].