PRESENT:

APOLOGIES:

IN ATTENDANCE:

The opening prayer was read by Andreas Menzies

oOo

4.42 p.m. Dr Rashid Sharif joined the meeting

oOo

To confirm the minutes of the meetings of the Rutland SACRE (previously circulated).

The minutes of the meetings of the Rutland Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) committee held on the 26 June 2014, 18 November 2014, 3 February 2015 and 17 March 2015, copies of which had been previously circulated, were confirmed and signed by the Chair.

26 June 2014

·         Dr Sharif confirmed that contact with the unions (NAHT, NUT, NASUWT & VOICE) was still ongoing to obtain representation from them at Rutland SACRE meetings.

·         Mr Carl Smith would attend meetings as a representative of ASCL.

·         Megan Davis to confirm with NAHT that she would attend meetings as a representative of the union.

·         It was agreed that Jonathan Watt would attend today’s meeting as a co-opted member and that he would contact the NASUWT to see if he could attend future Rutland SACRE meetings as the union representative.

ACTION: Jonathan Watt

18 November 2014

·         Rutland SACRE Annual Report – next report due in spring 2016.  Previous report was presented to the RCC People (Children) Scrutiny Panel.  Suggestion made that a school representative should present the next annual report.

·         Rutland SACRE Budget – the issue of what budget was allocated to SACRE was still ongoing.

3 February 2015

·         Rutland SACRE webpage – meeting agendas and minutes were now being published on the Council website but a dedicated SACRE webpage had still to be developed.  Dr Sharif to discuss with Mark Poole, Interim Head of IT at RCC.

ACTION: Dr Sharif

Summary of latest SIAMS reports

A report from Dr Sharif was received.

During discussion the following points were agreed:

1.         The Chair would write to the Headteachers at Langham, Whissendine and Ketton Primary Schools to congratulate them on their SIAM inspection results of Good/Outstanding and to suggest that the schools apply for the RE Quality Mark.   www.reqm.org

2.         The Chair would, in her letter to Mr Rob Gooding, Executive Headteacher for Whissendine and Ketton Primary Schools, invite him to brief the Rutland SACRE committee on how the schools achieved their ‘Outstanding’ inspection result.

3.         The Chair would write to the Headteachers at Uppingham and Oakham Primary Schools offering the Board’s support and assistance following their SIAM inspection.

4.         The Chair would ask Rutland County Council if their School Improvement Officers could include RE in their discussion when visiting schools for their annual visits.

ACTIONS: Miss Waller

Summary of latest OfSTED inspection reports

A report from Dr Rashida Sharif was received.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    RE was not specifically mentioned in inspection reports.

b)    Dr Sharif will be recommending to schools that RE be included in their School Improvement Plans as from September 2015.

c)    It was suggested contacting Peterborough and Leicester SACRE committees to propose that schools share resources and best practice ideas.

Updated constitution for approval

The draft Constitution for the Rutland SACRE Board was received from the Chair.

During discussion it was agreed that:

1.    The wording in paragraph 4 on the first page would be amended from ‘elected’ to ‘appointed’.

ACTION: Jane Narey

Summary of RE short course results 2014 for Casterton Business and Enterprise College

A report from Dr Sharif was received.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    Full and short courses would cease in September 2016 but RE would continue to be statutory in the curriculum.

It was agreed that:

1.    Dr Sharif would circulate the RE short course results for Catmose College.

ACTION: Dr Sharif

2.    If Catmose College results were good, the Chair would write to the Headteacher congratulating him.

3.    The Chair would write to the Headteachers of CBEC and Uppingham Community College to congratulate them on their results, express concern regarding the low number of pupils involved and to notify them of Catmose College’s results.

ACTIONS: Miss Waller

Review and approval of updated development plan.

A report from the Chair was received.

During discussion it was agreed:

1.    The Development Plan would be updated to include a ‘Completion Date’ column.

ACTION: Jane Narey

2.    The Chair would meet with Andreas Menzies, Barbara Crellin and Dr Sharif to go through the OfSTED SACRE Self Evaluation Plan and, before the next meeting, identify any additional key areas of action that need to be included in the Rutland SACRE Development Plan.

ACTION: Miss Waller, Andreas Menzies, Barbara Crellin & Dr Sharif

AGENDA

3.    Members would email Dr Sharif with possible questions to be included in the Schools’ Survey to assist in the identification of issues, future plans etc.

ACTION: ALL

4.    Dr Sharif would draft the Schools’ Survey questionnaire and send to SACRE members for feedback before bringing to the Rutland SACRE committee for final approval and sending to RE leads in schools and Chairs of Governors.

ACTION: Dr Sharif

Verbal update from Rashida Sharif

Dr Sharif gave a verbal update to attendees.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    Dr Sharif has contacted Lesley Pollard, who was now an independent RE consultant and they agreed to keep in contact regarding the exchange of information.

b)    Statutory Assessments need to be discussed by the Rutland SACRE board.

c)    Northamptonshire SACRE board was not yet reviewing their RE syllabus but would amend the syllabus rather than re-write it.  Dr Sharif would continue to liaise with Northamptonshire and update the Rutland SACRE board of any future plans.

d)    Rutland would continue to either adapt or adopt the Northamptonshire Agreed RE syllabus.

AGREED

1.    The Chair would attend the next meeting of the Northamptonshire SACRE board in September 2015 following an invitation to attend.  Dr Sharif to find out the meeting date and notify Miss Waller.

ACTION: Miss Waller

Database of RE Co-ordinators

A contact list of School RE Co-ordinators was received.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    The contact list had been updated and was now 100% complete.

AGREED:

1.    The Clerk would arrange a date/time for a meeting of the School RE Co-ordinators at the Oakham Rugby Club to establish a RE Network Group.

ACTION: Jane Narey

2.    Barbara Crellin, Megan Davis and Cllr Stephenson would meet to establish an agenda for the School RE Co-ordinators meeting.

ACTION: Barbara Crellin, Megan Davis, Mrs Stephenson, Dr Sharif

Reports were received from Andreas Menzies on the following topics:

(i)    NASACRE Conference 21^st May 2015

(ii)  SUMMARY: A New Settlement: Religion and Belief in Schools

(iii) A New Settlement: Religion and Belief in Schools – Charles Clark & Linda Woodhead

AGREED:

1.    Due to lack of time, it was agreed to carry the item forward to the next agenda.

AGENDA

oOo

6.25 p.m. Mrs Barbara Crellin left the meeting.

oOo

Possible future meeting dates?

Tuesday, 6^th October 2015

Tuesday, 12^th January 2016

Tuesday, 5^th April 2016

All meetings to be held 4.30 – 6.30 p.m. in the Council Chamber

The dates of the next meetings were agreed as:

·         Tuesday, 13^th October 2015 (NOT 6^th October as previously stated)

·         Tuesday, 12^th January 2016

·         Tuesday, 5^th April 2016

It was agreed that a discussion regarding the possible need for an additional meeting about the annual report would be held at the next meeting.

AGENDA