Discussion led by Councillor Gale Waller and Mrs Barbara Crellin

Miss Waller and Mrs Crellin had worked on the 2016-2017 Development Plan.  The members were happy with the general vision statement which Miss Waller stated we were entitled to make as aspirational as the members liked.  The members then went through each section.  Mrs Stephenson represented Mr Sharpe’s views during the discussion.  Dr Sharif stated that she had received feedback from the Head of Learning and Skills to say that the Development Plan was too ambitious in terms of support from the local education authority member as there is limited capacity to support some of the items on the plan.  Miss Waller made the point that officers are answerable to elected Members and not to implement elements of the plan would be doing a disservice to the children of Rutland.

During discussions the following changes/observations were made:

·                                1.1       Miss Waller to send a short letter to heads of schools asking about compliance and time allocation with the agreed syllabus.  ACTION:  Miss Waller

·                                1.2       Considered outside SACRE’s control but doesn’t mean we do not monitor trends

·                                1.3a     Welcome return of this item on the Development Plan.  Despite short notice everyone gave levels of progress.  Ms Walker to develop a proforma.  ACTION:  Ms Walker

·                                1.3b     Put in because we thought we would have had an agreed syllabus by now.  AGENDA Item for next meeting

·         1.4       This is obligatory

·                                    1.5       Leave date as July 2017 as SACRE are only developing a strategy at this stage and does not need to be a long document

·                                2.2a     Ongoing – Mr Sharpe’s comments were noted.  Miss Waller plans to respond.  If we manage to get an active non-Christian member then the opening prayer will be revised.  ACTION:  Miss Waller

·                                2.3       Development Planning – deleted

·                                2.4a     Essential we carry out our statutory duties – agreed by all

·                                2.4b     SACRE have a duty to deliver but needs to be funded

·                                2.4c     Consideration to be given to whether Annual Report should be presented to Full Council.  If it went to Full Council it would raise the profile land gravitas of SACRE.  Miss Waller and Mrs Stephenson could present as Council Members.  In the meantime Dr Sharif to work on the 2015-16 Annual Report for presentation at Children’s Scrutiny in April 2017.  ACTION:  Dr Sharif.  AGENDA Item for next meeting

·                                2.4d     Already happening.  Dr Sharif to write to all schools advising them to carry on with the current syllabus until further notice.  ACTION:  Dr Sharif

·                                2.5       Could be done through Rutland Head Teachers Forum.  Action:  Ms Walker

·                                    2.6       Partners need to be identified so that we can learn from others who do not follow the Northamptonshire syllabus, i.e., English Martyrs who follow the Diocese of Nottingham Roman Catholic syllabus.  Miss Waller has asked the Head of English Martyrs to come to a future SACRE meeting

·                           3          Contact Northants – will have contacts we don’t have, for example, there must be a Jewish presence in Rutland, even though there is no synagogue.  Is Mr Sharpe saying that interfaith relationships should be our top priority for 2017.

·                                4.1       Secondary schools respond to the Collective Worship survey because we ask them to.  This helps raise the profile of RE.  Could ask secondary schools in Rutland if they wish to nominate a representative to be co-opted onto SACRE.  To be revised next meeting.  In the meantime, Ms Walker to sound out head teachers.  AGENDA Item for next meeting

·                                4.2       Delete “Create a document with agreed criteria for quality mark”

·                                5.1       To be done by the Chair and Clerk

·                                5.2       Delete in its entirety

·                                5.3       Moved back to Spring 2018.  The consensus was that schools would welcome directory of contact addresses.  Whether they used it or not would be up to them

·         Criteria section removed in its entirety

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Mrs Crellin left the meeting at 5.50pm

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ACTION:  Miss Waller to amend the draft plan and forward to Mrs Snodin AGENDA Item for the next meeting