Agenda and minutes

1.1     The Chairman welcomed all members of SACRE to the hybrid meeting being held in Committee Room 3 and via Microsoft Teams.

Members are asked to note the following change to SACRE’s membership:

·       A vacancy has been created on Committee A following the resignation of Philippa Elliott (Humanist representative).

2.1     Members of the Council noted that Mrs Philippa Elliott, Humanist representative, has stood down from Committee A.

Members are asked to agree the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2024 as a correct record.

3.1     In reference to 20.4, Mrs Hammond informed members that two dates have been agreed for the World Religions and World Views Roadshows on 24 September and 2 October 2024 at Tanbridge House School, Horsham and Bishop Luffa School, Chichester respectively. Mrs Hammond added that an earlier start time has been planned and the suggestion of hosting discussion panels involving pupils is a work in progress.

3.2     In reference to 20.8, Derry Richardson updated members that templates have been designed for a SACRE-branded newsletter to be used in time for the end of the school term. Education officers will soon proactively ask RE leads for their contact details to update the service’s database. Mrs Hammond commented that this action should be prioritised in an attempt to boost future questionnaire engagement.

3.3     Resolved – that the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2024 be approved as a correct record and that they be signed by the Chairman.

Derry Richardson, Head of Service – Commercial and Contracting, to provide a verbal update to SACRE, on behalf of the Assistant Director for Education and Skills.

4.1     Derry Richardson, Head of Service – Commercial and Contracting, highlighted the following in place of Claire Hayes, Assistant Director for Education and Skills:

·         The County Council’s Children’s Services has moved out of its previous Ofsted intervention category.

·         A SEND area inspection has recently taken place.

·         The Education and Skills team has held discovery workshops with a focus on academisation across West Sussex. By 2026, the County Council will have more schools which are part of Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs).

·         At present there is a strong focus on SEND and nine core pieces of partnership work have been undertaken.

4.2     A member asked whether the County Council has any input into MATs. Mrs Hammond answered that she and the Assistant Director plan to attend meetings with MAT Chief Executives and referred to page 11 of the meeting papers which explained SACRE’s role and working relationship with MATs.

4.3     A member commented that their MAT employer does in fact follow the Local Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (RE) 2020-25.

4.4     A member pointed out that some SACREs have an Academy representative on their Committee C and suggested that West Sussex SACRE give consideration to this.

          Action: Clerk to refer to the Terms of Reference and raise the suggestion with the Director of Law and Assurance.

4.5     Mrs Waker, Co-opted member, informed the Council that she has a contact who may be appropriate to serve on SACRE as a co-opted Academy representative.

4.6     Resolved – that SACRE received the update.

Karen Hammond, External Consultant, will provide a verbal update on progress made on issues raised at previous meetings.

5.1     Mrs Hammond informed members that Fr Ben Scott and Cllr John Dabell have completed their induction since the previous meeting.

5.2     Mrs Hammond noted that two meetings of the Agreed Syllabus Working Group were held on 26 March and 1 May. Mrs Hammond explained that at the March meeting it was agreed that members of SACRE would aim to meet a number of teachers face-to-face in attempt to gather more information about the Agreed Syllabus for West Sussex schools. Mrs Hammond said that this idea was based on the response to the Agreed Syllabus questionnaire.

5.3     Mrs Hammond said that Revd Chrissie Millwood led on producing the online contact form for members’ use and invited her to brief members on what was agreed. Mrs Hammond emphasised the importance of all SACRE members being involved. 

5.4     Revd Millwood encouraged SACRE members to use the online form which has been devised for them to use in meetings at schools to take notes and record information. The record of conversations and data will be categorised by primary, secondary and special schools.

5.5     Members were given a deadline of 1 July to provide contact information gathered from one or two schools to Revd Millwood in order to be collated in time for the next meeting of the Working Group on 16 July.

5.6     Derry Richardson suggested the online form’s wording is amended to offer reassurance that the headteacher has been made aware and given consent for information to be disclosed prior to discussion.

5.7     Mrs Hammond thanked Revd Millwood and the group for their work.

5.8     Mrs Hammond informed SACRE that Revd David Pitkeathly and herself attended the NASACRE Conference on 20 May and that they found the event extremely valuable. Mrs Hammond pointed out that the Ofsted Report, Religion and Worldviews Handbook and National Content Standard for RE were three important documents published in the last year. Mrs Hammond said that the Ofsted Report highlighted a lack of depth and substance in RE teaching, the need for national guidance and the inconsistency in RE taught across national schools. Mrs Hammond highlighted the high volume of work being carried out at government level in relation to RE. Mrs Hammond circulated a leaflet given out at the conference explaining that SACREs are being encouraged to become community activists and to develop partnerships. Mrs Hammond reported that there are significant issues with the recruitment and retention of RE teachers nationally.
Action for Clerk to add an item to the 18 November SACRE agenda regarding what additional work West Sussex SACRE can get involved with.

5.9     A member suggested administering a West Sussex Spirited Arts Competition and inviting local schools to participate.

5.10   Mrs Hammond informed members that at a meeting of the SACRE Working Group on 23 May a discussion was held relating to information from the NASACRE Conference. Mrs Hammond reported that the most important outcome was discovering SACRE’s need to be more pro-active in terms of engagement with schools.

5.11   Mrs Hammond updated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Karen Hammond, External Consultant, to introduce the following report and invite group discussion: Deep and meaningful? The religious education subject report - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

6.1     Mrs Hammond summarised the key points from the circulated report.

6.2     Mrs Hammond suggested the need to further review comments from other SACREs.

6.3     Mrs Hammond commented that a large number of RE teaching vacancies in schools were not being publicly advertised.

6.4     Members discussed accreditation and the inconsistency in RE teaching resources nationally.

6.5     Resolved – that SACRE noted the report.

Karen Hammond, External Consultant, to introduce the following materials published by the Religious Education Council for members’ information and invite group discussion:

8a)    ‘Developing a Religion and Worldviews approach in Religious Education in England’ (2024) – a handbook for curriculum writers.

8b)    National content standard for Religious Education in England  (July 2023).

7.1     In summary of the two teaching materials, Mrs Hammond commented that the non-statutory guidance is well-regarded by national SACRE members, but it is not universally approved by all religious education providers.

7.2     Resolved – that SACRE received the materials.       

The date of the next meeting is 18 November 2024.

Future meeting dates are:

·       26 March 2025.

8.1     The Chairman thanked Barbara Bell (Committee A – Jewish representative) for her contribution and service to SACRE over the years in her final meeting.

8.2     SACRE noted that the next meeting would be held on 18 November 2024 at County Hall, Chichester, with the hybrid option for joining being available to those who require it.