Agenda and minutes

The Rotherham SACRE discussed the appointment of the Chair and the Vice-Chair for 2017/2018 and encouraged volunteers to express interest in these positions both for the current and future academic years. In the meantime, it was agreed that Mrs. N. Goodwin be appointed Chair of this meeting.

(Mrs. N. Goodwin in the Chair)

Consideration of this item was deferred until the next meeting.

Agreed:- That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 21^st March, 2017 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

The following items were noted:-

(a) (Minute No. 24) Community Cohesion – the Borough Council had now published its strategy entitled “Building Stronger Communities”;

(b) (Minute No. 30(2)) REwards Ceremony 2017 – the ceremony scheduled to take place on Monday, 19th June, 2017, had been cancelled.

The Rotherham SACRE members undertook a lengthy debate about the future of the SACRE and the resources available, including both funding and staffing.

Mrs. Goodwin and Mrs. Williams explained that they were seeking a meeting with senior management within the Borough Council’s Children and Young People’s Services (Education Services) in order to try and reach agreement with the Local Authority about the future support for SACRE and its termly meetings, including an appointment to and funding of the role of Lead Officer to support SACRE. It was noted that the previous support officer arrangement (ie: Mrs. V. Gregory undertaking the role on the basis of a limited number of hours per week) had ended in April 2017.

It was hoped that this meeting would be taking place in the very near future.

The Rotherham SACRE agreed that various other issues should be discussed at the forthcoming meeting, including :

Religious Education – curriculum support in schools;

Collective Worship (and publication of guidance);

SACRE Annual Reports;

SACRE Development Plan;

South Yorkshire Religious Education Conference – March 2018;

REwards – annual ceremony;

Membership of and availability of support and advice from NASACRE (payment of subscription);

Summary reporting of the GCSE, ‘AS’ and ‘A’ Level examination results for Religious Education;

Improved contact with Religious Education teachers in schools and academies;

Ways of encouraging volunteers of all faiths to join the SACRE;

Making use of other sources of support (eg: the Diocese);

Possible joint arrangements with the SACRE of other local authorities.

The Rotherham SACRE members acknowledged the importance of this forthcoming meeting and the requirement for the Local Authority to fulfill its duty in accordance with Government Department for Education Circular 1/94 (Religious Education and Collective Worship – paragraph 89).

The Rotherham SACRE noted the contents of a factsheet produced as part of the key statistics from the Census in Rotherham (2011) which related to the main religions in Rotherham.

Further discussion took place on the Constitution and membership of the SACRE and it was agreed that every effort be made to encourage representation from various faiths including Church of England, Muslim, Sikh, Black Pentecostal, Jewish, Salvation Army and Jehovah’s Witness.

The Rotherham SACRE meeting heard that the South Yorkshire Religious Education Conference 2018 was due to take place on a date to be arranged in March, 2018 at the Hub, 103 Canklow Road, Rotherham. The resources required and the need to arrange and prepare for this Conference were to be the subject of imminent discussions with the Local Authority.

It was noted that the information concerning the examination results was not yet available from Schools. Consideration of this item was therefore deferred until the next meeting.

Consideration of this item was deferred until the next meeting. In the meantime, the resources required for the preparation of the Annual Report were to be the subject of imminent discussions with the Local Authority.

Further to Minute No. 28 of the meeting of the Rotherham SACRE held on 21st March, 2017, discussion took place on the draft Rotherham SACRE development plan for 2016/17.

It was agreed that the working group being established to consider the detail of the development plan and report to a future meeting of the Rotherham SACRE, shall comprise Mrs. Z. Ahmed, Mrs. H. Lambert, Mrs. M. Shah, Mrs. R. Turnbull, Mrs. T. Williams, Mr. A. Griffin and Mr. D. Homer.

Discussion took place on the existence of a Facebook (social media) page/group known as “Save Religious Education”.  In the context of the earlier discussions at this meeting about resources for SACRE, a member of the Rotherham SACRE agreed to make general enquiries, via this Facebook page/group, about the resources and support available both for the SACRE organisation and for the delivery of the Religious Education curriculum in schools and academies.

Agreed:- That the next meeting of the Rotherham SACRE be held at the Town Hall, Rotherham on Tuesday, 30^th January, 2018, commencing at 4.00 p.m.