To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Educationmeeting held on 18 April 2016.

The Minutes from the previous meeting held on 18 April 2016 were approved as a correct record. 

To receive additional items that the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no items of urgent business; however the Chair informed those present that he had received a Freedom of Information request which enquired if SACRE Members had visited schools or published any guidance.

The Associate Adviser for Religious Education confirmed to Members that SACRE had provided guidance for schools, however they had not published any.

There were no interests declared

Members are requested to appoint the Chair of SACRE

Nominations were invited for the appointment of Chair for the Committee.  It was proposed by Councillor Kerin and seconded by Mrs Shepherd, that Rev. Guest be appointed as Chair of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That Rev. John Guest be appointed as Chair of Thurrock SACRE

Members are requested to appoint the Vice Chair for Committee A,B,C and D of SACRE

Nominations were invited for the appointment of Vice Chair of Committees A, B, C and D.

The following members were elected as Vice Chairs:

Committee A: Miss A Ahmed

Committee B: Rev.  J Guest

Committee C: Mr P Griffiths

Committee D: Councillor Kerin

RESOLVED:

The following members be elected as Vice Chairs:

Committee A: Miss A Ahmed

Committee B: Rev.  J Guest

Committee C: Mr P Griffiths

Committee D: Councillor Kerin

The Chair of the SACRE invited the Clerk to inform those present of the current Membership status of the Committee, during which it was highlighted that the last report on the Committee’s Membership was presented in March 2013. Members were advised an updated copy of the Membership was at Appendix 1 to the report.

The Chair of SACRE sought as to why there were Members of both the Free Church and Pentecostal Church and whether they should all sit under the Free Church. He also enquired as to why the nomination for the Pentecostal Member, only came from one of the Churches, when there were many in the area.

It was explained that at the time, when the nominations were made King’s Family Centre were the only response received and so their nomination was accepted.

The Associate Adviser for Religious Education further suggested that Committee A be renamed to:

Christian denominations and other Religious Groups

Members of the Council queried as to whether representation for Humanist, Jewish and Hindu faiths had been sought. It was explained by the Clerk that a representative for the Jewish and Hindu faiths had been sought and the clerk was awaiting a response from the nominating body.

RESOLVED:

That SACRE commented on and approved the membership of Thurrock SACRE, subject to the amendments discussed.

The Chair introduced the report which requested Members to agree the updated Terms of Reference.

Councillor Ojetola, explained that previously SACRE has been desperate for Members and so point 8.1 was not necessarily taken into account. He continued to suggest that SACRE perhaps needed an improved way to encourage Members to attend. 

RESOLVED:

That SACRE agree the revised Constitution of Thurrock SACRE as set out in Appendix 1.

The Associate Adviser for Religious Education addressed SACRE Members and highlighted the following:

•               The ‘Excellent RE” scheme is a grant funded scheme including the cover costs for teachers involved in the project and three and a half training days;

•               Members were encouraged to consider whether it might be possible to visit any of the schools involved in the Excellent RE project during this academic year to learn more about the project; and

•               At the end of this academic year it was hopped to have 11 ambassadors for Religious Education.

Members volunteered to visit the Schools as followed:

•               Rev. J Guest - Stanford-le-Hope Primary School

•               Councillor Ojetola - Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred

•               Mrs Shepherd – Dilkes Primary Academy and Benyon Primary School

•               Miss Ahmed - Belmont Castle Academy

•               Mr Griffiths - Orsett C of E Primary School and Treetops School

•               Rev. D Bates - Kenningtons Primary Academy

It was agreed that the Associate Adviser for Religious Education and the Clerk would contact those Members who were not present to seek their involvement.

The Associate Adviser for Religious Education also agreed to write questions for Member to ask when they complete their visits.

RESOLVED:

That SACRE Members visit the schools involved in the project to monitor the impact.

Members discussed the report which presented a summary of the work of SACRE over the last two years during which the following was mentioned:

•               The Associate Adviser for Religious Education would re-circulate the agreed syllabus to Schools and Academies in Thurrock and

•               It was explained that GCSE results had only been released within the last few days and as soon as it they were confirmed all results would be circulated to SACRE members.

Members queried as to the schools who had agreed to follow the agreed syllabus with adaptations or with their own syllabus. The Associate Adviser for Religious Education explained that perhaps schools thought that if they followed different schemes within the syllabus that they were adapting the syllabus, which was not the case.

Members asked if the paragraph on A Levels could be reworded to the following:

The table below illustrates A level results for the Harris Academy where entries doubled in 2014 over 2013 and 90% received A*-B attainments.

RESOLVED:

That SACRE accept this report as an accurate record of its work for the period September 2014-July 2016