Dear Father,

We thank You for everyone here and we ask for Your blessing and help as we are gathered together.

Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, guide us and inspire our hearts.

Fill our lives with Your love and Fill our conversations with Your grace and truth.

We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

The opening prayer was read by Mr Andreas Menzies

None were received

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Rutland SACRE held on 11^th October 2016.

The Minutes of the Rutland Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) held on 11^th October 2016 were approved subject to the amendment below:

“12^th October 2016” should be amended to read “11^th October 2016”. 

SACRE:  Actions from meeting held on 11^th October 2016

1.         Mrs Snodin had e mailed Steve Kelly, the designated NUT Representative for Rutland, on two occasions but had not received any response.  Miss Waller asked for the views of the members as to whether we should continue to keep trying to get a NUT representative to the meetings.  The proposal was to leave this discussion until the AGM in October 2017 in light of information received that the NUT was to merge with another teaching Union.

Agenda Item for October Meeting – GW & CS

2.         Lord Nash has not yet been replaced under the new administration.  When he was last written to by the Chair the concern was that with Rutland Schools becoming Academies the role of SACRE was up in the air.  The Chair was reassured that there was no plan to change the current arrangements.  If it is felt that something may change in the future we would to write again.

3.         Action completed. 

4.         Action completed.  Dr Sharif chaired the first meeting of the Network Meeting on 28^th November 2016.  This will be discussed further under Agenda Item 6.

5.         Dr Sharif Chaired the above mentioned Collective Worship Network Meeting with input from Mrs Davis and Ms Walker, although Ms Walker had not been able to attend the inaugural meeting.  The future of the meetings will be discussed further under Agenda Item 6.

6.         Miss Waller and Mrs Stephenson met with the lead Member for Education, Councillor David Wilby, in the Leader’s absence about the need for support for SACRE.  Mr Wilby asked them to leave it in his hands.  The current Leader, Mr Terry King, had resigned and a new Leader will be elected on Thursday, 26^th January 2017.  Mrs Stephenson suggested that she and Miss Waller meet with the new Leader following the election to see what support SACRE might get.  Miss Waller had been in e mail correspondence with Ms Gill Curtis, incoming Head of Learning and Skills regarding who will offer SACRE Educational Support within the Local Authority when Dr Sharif leaves this role on 25^th January 2017.  Miss Waller had impressed upon Ms Curtis that she hoped that the same person who is being employed by Northamptonshire and Cambridge as their local authority lead could also be used by Rutland County Council.  It should be the same person given that Rutland is using the same syllabus.   Mrs Crellin reported on the feedback she had given the Diocese on the Peterborough Cathedral Reflection Day.  Six children from Ryhall Church of England Primary School had attended and the head, Ms Kay Walker said that although it was a really good day out it was a bit of a rush because of the travelling.  Mrs Crellin felt that the Cathedral was not the most accessible venue for some schools and the idea of a travelling “road show” would be considered at a later date when the new staff on the Diocese Board had settled into their roles.  

7.         Action completed

8.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Discussion led by Dr Rashida Sharif

(Report to follow)

I)             Dr Sharif presented the Annual Report for 2015-16.  She noted that only three schools had been inspected by Ofsted during this period and there had been no SIAMS inspections during the same period. 

II)            The Chair commented that 2015-16 seemed such a long time ago and suggested the Members consider extending the report to the end of April 2017 to encompass the municipal year.  This would make no difference to results and would bring the Annual Report up to date for presentation to Full Council to encourage more engagement with SACRE.  The motion was proposed and seconded.  Members unanimously voted to extend the period of the Annual Report from September 2015-April 2016.

III)           Mr Andreas Menzies felt this made sense.  He asked about the quotes used in this report and wondered if they were the same as those used in the previous report.  Dr Sharif confirmed that only the first quote was the same and that the other quotes were taken from 2015-15 inspection reports.

IV)          Mrs Crellin commented that the quote on the front had nothing to do with religious education. 

V)           Miss Waller thought that the Scrutiny Panel might read the first page and feel more engaged if it reflected the overall benefits of education.

VI)          Mrs Crellin commented that she felt it was wrong not to link the quote to religious education but very much liked the quotes from young people and it would be good to have some new quotes.

VII)        Ms Walker and Mrs Davis reported that they may be able to assist with some new quotes from recent student questionnaires. 

Action:  Ms Walker and Mrs Davis to send comments and quotes to Miss Waller for incorporation into the Annual Report

VIII)       Mr Neil Rawes and Mr Carl Smith may be able to provide some additional quotes from their post 16 students.

Action:  Mrs Snodin to contact Mr Rawes and Mr Smith

IX)          Miss Waller noted that we have slightly longer now that the Members had agreed to extend the period that the Annual Report covers.  She will send the report to Mrs Snodin once the amendments had been made for her to format and finalise it.

Action:  GW/CS

X)           Dr Sharif said that some quotes had not carried through from her original draft into the report.  She would send these through to Miss Waller.

Action:  RS

XI)          Amendments requested by Mr Sharpe will be forwarded to Miss Waller for incorporation into the revised draft.

Action:  CS

XII)        Paragraph 2.2 – Miss Waller will add an additional comment to re-inforce the legal side of why SACRE exists

Action:  GW

XIII)       Paragraph 6.2 – To be split into two paragraphs

Action:  GW

IXV      Paragraph 10.2 - Miss Waller stated that she would

like the success of the development plan reflected in the Annual Report which offers a clear statement of intent that we are part of the development of the agreed syllabus.

XV       Mrs Ray felt that Appendix A – Membership and Attendance – looked  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Discussion led by Katy Walker

The Minutes of the inaugural meeting of the Rutland RE/Collective Worship Network Meeting were disseminated and Dr Sharif fed back to the Members.  The meeting was well received by all who attended and Miss Waller’s attendance as Chair of SACRE was well received.  Miss Waller stated she was delighted that the event had been hosted by Great Casterton Primary School and would be writing to the school to thank them.  The next two network meetings will take place at Oakham CofE Primary School and Whissendine and Miss Waller stated she would request this information be put in the Head Teacher’s Bulletin to attract more participation.

Action:  Miss Waller to draft letter for Mrs Snodin to send to Gt Casterton – GW/CS

Action:  Mrs Snodin to arrange for information to be placed in Head Teacher’s Bulletin - CS

I           Miss Walker stated that the feedback she received was that Head Teachers felt they had a voice in the syllabus and that they agreed that development of the Northants syllabus was the best way forward.  She noted that there was only participation from primary school heads and felt there was still not enough confidence from secondary schools at the strategic level to work together.  Uppingham CC and Casterton collaborating well behind the scenes but would be good to nurture and development their participation at the Network Meeting.

The Members jointly congratulated Dr Sharif and Ms Walker for getting the meetings off the ground. 

a)    SIAMS report for Ryhall CofE Primary School

(Report to follow)

The Chair invited Ms Walker and Mrs Davis to talk through the highs and lows of their recent SIAMS inspections. 

I)             Ms Walker thanked Miss Waller for the support she had given in her role as vice chair of Governors and as a foundation governor.  Although the school had received an outstanding report she felt that the comments regarding the areas to improve were disappointing given that cultural development is at the core of everything they do and felt that the school clearly demonstrated cultural awareness.  Ms Walker stated she was delighted that across all four areas she felt everyone was behind them whether they agreed with the direction the school was taking or not and that parents value the school’s approach and their work with the wider community.  

II)            Mrs Davis reflected that the Inspection was a good experience and it was good to put the school through its paces.  Inspectors talked about the explicit Christian ethos and met with parents, governors and the local vicar.  The pupils also enjoyed talking to the inspectors. 

III)        The Local Authority has signed up to the “Bid Classroom”.  Schools at North Luffenham, Great Casterton, Empingham and Ryhall has all signed up and contact between schools takes place via social media – blogs, videos, etc.  Mrs Davis pointed out that joining up to the school cost £300 and that this was a lot of money for smaller schools.

III)           Ms Walker reported that the SIAMS Inspection process is due to be reviewed.  She said that to her knowledge most Heads were using the current framework for self-evaluation and that a new framework would be introduced in due course.

The Members congratulated Ms Walker and Mrs Davis on their inspection results and noted that the spiritual life of children in Rutland was in very safe hands. 

Discussion led by Councillor Gale Waller and Mrs Barbara Crellin

In response to Mrs Stephenson’s question regarding whether the Development Plan goes to Full Council, Miss Waller confirmed that it does not in its own right but was attached to the Annual Report which does go to Full Council.

I)             Miss Waller confirmed that she needs to go through the report and adjust the dates to 2018.

II)            Miss Waller asked whether there would be a Heads’ Conference this year and some schools appear to be having difficulty with the concept of Collective Worship.  She proposed that this could be a subject for one of the workshops.

III)           Ms Walker felt that this could best be dealt with through the Collective Network meetings.

Discussion led by Councillor Gale Waller

It was felt that this item was being picked up at the network meetings and that at some point in the future the Members would ask for feedback.  Miss Waller suggested that we review progress after the first three meetings of the Collective Worship Network Meeting had taken place.

The next NASCRE Annual Conference will take place in York on 16^th May 2017

The 2017 NASACRE Annual Conference will take place at the Hilton Hotel, York on 16^th May 2017.  The Chair will attend. 

Action:  Mrs Snodin to organise Miss Waller’s registration

The Chair thanked Dr Sharif for the help and support she had given to SACRE and wished her good luck for the future.

The Chair has had discussions with Ms Gill Curtis, Head of Learning and Skills, to find a replacement for Dr Sharif to offer professional support for Rutland SACRE meetings going forward.

The next meeting will be held on 4^th April 2017, 4.30-6.30pm in the Council Chamber, Catmose

The next meeting of the Rutland SACRE will take place on Tuesday, 4^th April 2017 at 4.30pm in the Council

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The Chair declared the meeting closed at 6.18 p.m.

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DISTRIBUTION;

MEMBERS OF THE RUTLAND SACRE (STANDING ADVISORY COUNCIL ON RELIGIOUS EDUCATION):