To review sections 1 and 5 of the NASACRE Self Evaluation Toolkit.

https://www.nasacre.org.uk/resources/sacre-management

Councillor R Powell proposed that item 1 and 5 of the NASACRE Self Evaluation Toolkit be discussed.

During the discussion the following points were noted:

Key Area: 1e - Information and advice

How well informed is SACRE in order to be able to advise the LA appropriately?

• The SACRE Adviser stated that with academisation and SACRE’s not being able to go into schools to make judgement this was difficult. SACRE were relying on Ofsted reports, and the Ofsted website for information and public exams.
• Gurdev Singh, representative of the Sikh Faith suggested that there was too much information and not enough insight behind the information shared.
• The SACRE Adviser stated that Officers were not always invited into schools.
• Councillor R Powell stated that regular information was provided but more insight was needed, and this was difficult to improve with the current structure.
• The SACRE Adviser stated that it would be useful to invite schools to a future SACRE Board meeting.

Action: Stacey Potter

Key Area: 1f - Partnerships with key stakeholders

What partnerships does the SACRE have with key local and national stakeholders, and what quality are these?

• Several Rutland SACRE Members had attended the National Conference and had undertaken various training.
• Councillor R Powell stated that it would be useful to hear the views of pupils and suggested that schools share comments from pupils at a future SACRE meeting.

Action: Stacey Potter

Key Area: 1g – Relations with the Academies sector

How effectively is SACRE encouraging academies etc to see themselves also as stakeholders in their local area, specifically by devising ways in which an academies presence is incorporated into SACRE itself?

• The SACRE Adviser stated that academies were attending the Network meetings regularly and the teacher representative on the Rutland SACRE was part of an academy school.
• Megan Davies, representative of the National Association of Head Teachers outlined that by the end of the next academic there would only be one school within Rutland that was a Local Authority school. There were several academy trusts within Rutland, and it would not be wise to state that the Rutland SACRE had a great relationship with academies. The teacher representative was representing teachers and not all of the academies in the area. The links needed to be strengthened.
• The SACRE Adviser stated that it would be beneficial to have more teacher representatives on the SACRE Board and to look at the teachers and pupils as a whole rather than the type of school.
• In response to a question from Bjoern Finke, representative of the Roman Catholic Faith asking is there were any links to independent schools, the SACRE Adviser confirmed that there were currently no links but that it would be useful to reach out to them.
• Councillor R Powell suggested that the Rutland SACRE needed to strengthen its relationships with academies and the independent sector.

Action: All Members

Key Area: 5a – SACRE’s membership

How representative is SACRE’s membership of the local community?

• The SACRE Adviser had tried to contact Aga Cahn, representative of the Jewish Faith but this had not proved successful. Stacey Potter to email Aga to advise that as no response had been received, could another representative be recommended to join the Rutland SACRE. Sheila Gewolb from the Board of Deputies of British Jews would be included within the email.

Action: Stacey Potter

• In response to a question from Bjoern Finke, representative of the Roman Catholic Faith asking if the Rutland SACRE had a representative from the Muslim Faith, The SACRE Adviser would contact the Chair of the Peterborough SACRE to see if they could recommend a representative.

Action: Amanda Fitton

• Members agreed that the Rutland SACRE was Established within area 5a but this would be continuously reviewed.

Key Area: 5b SACRE’s understanding of the local area.

How much do SACRE members know and understand the local community in its religious, cultural and ethnic dimensions?

• The SACRE Adviser confirmed that the census information would be published towards September 2022.

Key Area: 5c – SACRE’s engagement with the community cohesion agenda. How much does SACRE understand the contribution which RE/CW can make to a schools’ provision for community cohesion?

• Councillor R Powell suggested training to be provided regarding what the key area meant in practice.

Key Area: 5d – SACRE’s role within wider LA initiatives on community cohesion. How well is SACRE linked to or consulted about LA initiatives promoting community cohesion?

• Megan Davis, teacher representative stated that community cohesion was not just about Religion and was also in relation to bringing together all areas of the community and this was being focussed on within schools.
• The SACRE Adviser confirmed that Ministry of Defence schools had their own SACRE. The SACRE Adviser would contact the Chair to invite them to attend a future Rutland SACRE meeting to discuss how they met the needs of their children within their SACRE.

Action: Amanda Fitton