Agenda and draft minutes

To welcome any new members to SACRE and provide an introduction to the Committee.

The Chair invited members of SACRE to introduce themselves and offered a warm welcome to the newly elected members, who had recently been appointed to the Committee.

To appoint a Chair of SACRE for the 2024/2025 academic year.

The Governance Manager advised members that there had been one nomination received for the position of Chair to the SACRE. The nomination was for the current Chair, Hannah Lambert.

The Governance Manager asked members present to raise their hand if they wished to vote for the nomination received.

Resolved: - That Hannah Lambert be appointed Chair for the 2024/2025 Academic Year.

(Hannah Lambert in the Chair).

To appoint a Vice-Chair of SACRE for the 2024/2025 academic year.

The Governance Manager advised members that two nominations had been received for the position of Vice-Chair.

The Chair advised members that both nominee’s for the Vice-Chair position were not present at the meeting, therefore it was agreed that this agenda item be deferred to a future meeting.

Resolved:- That this agenda item be differed until the next SACRE meeting on 10 December 2024.

To receive declarations of interest from any members with respect to an item of business.

There were no declarations of interest.

To determine whether any items on the agenda require the exclusion of members of the public or press.

There were no matters of business for which it was deemed necessary to exclude members of the public or press.

To review and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 March 2024, as a true and accurate record of the proceedings and to be signed by the Chair.

The minutes from the last meeting on 26 March 2024, were approved as a true and accurate record of the proceedings.

To discuss any updates required to the SACRE Terms of Reference.

The agenda item provided an update on the SACRE Constitution and Terms of Reference. The Governance Manager advised SACRE members that the Governance Team had access to a 2014 version of the SACRE Constitution and a 2016 version of draft SACRE Terms of Reference. It was established that the 2014 SACRE Constitution was the current version and a discussion ensued around potential updates to the SACRE Constitution and Terms of Reference, to ensure that it would be up to date, during which the following was noted:

·       The 2016 draft Terms of Reference were presented to SACRE members at a meeting in 2016, for their consideration. It was clarified that members of SACRE present at the meeting in 2016, did not feel that the Terms of Reference presented to them were factually correct, and they were not agreed by SACRE at that point in time. There had been no further discussion on the 2016 Terms of Reference since that meeting. Examples were provided of how points 1.6 relating to the agreed syllabus and 2.1 relating to the membership of SACRE in the 2016 draft Terms of Reference, were factually incorrect.

·       It was agreed that the SACRE Constitution and Terms of Reference Document should be combined, and the information reviewed, to ensure all information in the document would be correct and up to date.

·       It was advised that Group A had been well represented by SACRE members throughout the previous years. In the revised Constitution and Terms of Reference, the list for Group A membership would need to be updated to ensure it contained the Baha’i Faith, Buddhism and Humanism.

Action:- That the Governance Advisor, in conjunction with the Head of Legal Services/Monitoring Officer, reviews the current constitution document to ensure it is up to date and incorporates a Terms of Reference document, and that it is circulated to SACRE members ahead of the next scheduled meeting, for their consideration.

To receive an update on CPD Training.

This agenda item provided an update to SACRE members on continuous professional development (CPD), during which the following was noted:

·       A one-day training course was booked for the 29 January 2025, the course would be led by Lat Blaylock, the National RE Advisor.  Information on the course, including the outline for the day had been promoted via the ROSIS Newsletter. The course had been advertised across Sheffield, Barnsley and Doncaster to encourage attendance across South Yorkshire. This would also help with increasing funds back into SACRE.

·       Some SACRE members present from Group C requested to be added to the ROSIS Newsletter distribution list.

Resolved:- That the Manager of the School Improvement Service adds the relevant members present from Group C to the ROSIS Newsletter distribution list.

To receive a verbal update on the SACRE Development Plan.

This agenda item provided an update to SACRE members on the draft SACRE Development Plan for 2024/2025, during which the following was noted:

·       Objective 1- continue to develop RE subject knowledge for Rotherham primary teachers and subject leaders:

?   This objective included Primary Schools only. SACRE members requested that this be changed to also incorporate Secondary Schools.

?   The Chair and RE Advisor to SACRE led Subject Leaders Meetings each term. The RE Advisor had tried to set up a Secondary School Subject Leaders Group, however there had been little interest in this and only one person from Brinsworth School had attended previously. Members of Group C who were secondary teachers advised that they would promote the Secondary School Subject Leaders Group within their academy trusts.

?   The Chair advised that it had been planned to look at the Ofsted Deep and Meaningful Subject Report.

?   The Chair and RE Advisor had planned that an inter-faith question and answer session with teachers. The Chair asked for volunteers from SACRE with faith backgrounds to be involved in the session.

?   It was advised that the Rotherham Faith Leaders Group were looking at completing inter-faith activities with schools, the proposed subject topic was the “Golden Rule”. The Group were due to agree the arrangements for this in October and the Vice-Chair asked whether this could be a piece of joint work with SACRE.

?   The Vice-Chair agreed to liaise with the Programme and Projects Officer who worked with the Faith Leaders Group, to request that SACRE members be included in any updates and information circulated on this, before interfaith week on the 10-17 November 2024.

Actions:-

?   The Vice-Chair to liaise with the Programme and Projects Officer who worked with the Faith Leaders Group, to request that SACRE members be included in any updates or information circulated on inter-faith activities, before interfaith week on the 10-17 November 2024.

?   The Manager of the School Improvement Service would share this information with schools.

·       Objective 2- Review and carry out determinations for collective worship:

?   Thornhill Primary School had asked SACRE to complete their determination.

?   The Chair asked SACRE members for a volunteer and the Vice-Chair volunteered to assist with this.

·       Objective 3- Develop links with Sheffield and Doncaster SACRE’s:

?   The Chair and RE Advisor to SACRE were members of Doncaster SACRE.

?   The Chair met with the Chair of Doncaster SACRE and the Vice-Chair of Sheffield SACRE to discuss potential cross-development working and to share best practise between SACRE’s.

·       Objective 4- Provide support to enhance provision in RE in schools:

?   The Chair and RE Advisor were in the process of developing a list of available visits and visitors for all schools to access, which included suitable places from a safeguarding perspective that would provide a good quality visit.

·       Objective 5- Increase prominence of RE through the Rewards celebration:

?   The rewards celebration was advertised at the last Subject Teacher Meeting and would be advertised via the ROSIS Newsletter.

?   SACRE Members were asked to promote the rewards celebration in primary and secondary schools.

?   Pre-pandemic, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

To receive an update on the SACRE Annual Report for 2024.

This agenda item provided an update to SACRE members on the SACRE Annual Report 2023/2024 and the following was noted:

·       The last annual report was produced in 2016.

·       There was a detailed annual report template on the National SACRE website.

·       The Governance Advisor would support the Chair and RE Advisor to produce the Annual Report by providing governance information such as the number of times SACRE had met, attendance at meetings, venues and an overview of content of meetings.

Actions:-

?   That a SACRE Annual Report for 2023/2024 be produced.

?   That the Governance Advisor supports the Chair and RE Advisor to produce the Annual Report by providing governance information such as the number of times SACRE had met, attendance at meetings, venues and an overview of content of meetings.

To determine any items which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

During this agenda item the following was discussed and noted:

·       Artefacts Update-

?   There was a set of artefacts available at both Rockingham and Wingfield schools. The RE Advisor promoted and advertised the artefacts at the last teaching meeting. There had been no requests to loan the artefacts to date.

·       Funding Update-

?   The local authority had provided SACRE with funding for the next academic year. The funding would pay for the paid RE Advisor’s five days’ work on SACRE, the RE Conference in 2025 and the Rewards Ceremony.

·       Members noted the positivity of the meeting and acknowledged the great representation present.