Present:-

Group A: Christian and Other Religious Denominations, not including Church of England

Mr K Denby, Miss M Hext (Chairman), Mr B Lane, Rev M McCorry, Mr R Nathwani and Mrs N Nation

[NB: Mr Nathwani present from Minute 35 onwards]

Group B: The Church of England

Ms P Hammett, Mr M Dearden, Mr E Pawson, Mrs T Pritchard and Mrs T Wilson

Group C: Teachers Associations

Ms L Clay, Mr J Gooddy, Mr N Swait and Mr J Doney (substitute for Dr K Walshe)

[NB: Ms Clay present from Minute 35 onwards]

Group D: The Local Authority

Councillors E Barisic, C Channon, P Colthorpe, A Hannan, M Squires and R Younger-Ross

[NB: Councillor Channon present from Minute 34 onwards]

Co-opted Members

Mr J Marshall, Mr J Roberts and Mrs S Spence

Apologies:-

Rev C Edmonds, Mr R Halsey, Mrs W Harrison, Mrs C Hulbert, Mrs T Griffiths, Mr I Jamison, Mrs R Khreisheh, Mrs S Shute, Caroline Walmsley, Dr K Walshe and Mr M Watson

33 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 February 2014 be signed as a correct record, subject to Minute 29 (Holocaust Memorial Day 2014 Review) being amended by the deletion to the reference to Mrs Spence being Chairman of the Holocaust Memorial Day Steering Group.

34 SACRE Membership and Professional Support

The Committee noted the appointment of:

Mr Michael Watson from Newton Abbot to replace Mrs K Hughes as Bah ai Representative (and Mrs Helena Hastie of Whimple as Substitute);

Mrs Nuala Nation to replace Mr R Lawrence as Roman Catholic Representative;

Mr Ravi Nathwani to replace Dr J Saha as Hindu Community Representative.

The Chairman welcomed the new SACRE members. She also reported that Dr Barbara Wintersgill had resigned as a Co-opted Member of SACRE and paid tribute to her long and valuable service. Mr Pawson was pleased to report that Dr Wintersgill was prepared to continue to undertake monitoring work for Devon SACRE.

SACRE expressed their best wishes for the future to Mrs Hughes, Mr Lawrence and Dr Saha.

Mr Pawson then reported on professional support for SACRE, indicating that:

Mr Langtree was again absent on sick leave;

Babcock LDP - in line with their contractual obligations - would continue to fund core professional support through the part-time employment of himself (Mr Pawson) and possibly Mr Roberts in the next academic year.

RESOLVED that Devon SACRE, through its officers, continue to monitor the needs of Religious Education in Devon schools, in discussion with Babcock LDP and Devon County Council.

35 Update on SACRE Work

(a) Agreed Syllabus Review

Mr Roberts reported that the new Devon, Torbay and Plymouth Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education had been finalised as now circulated at the meeting. It would be launched at a series of events at schools around the county in June 2014 which SACRE members would be welcome to attend. The Agreed Syllabus followed the style of the new National Curriculum statements and was a concise document focused on statutory elements which reflected current philosophy and guidance and was based on the enquiry model ; the emphasis had been on reform not revolution . The Agreed Syllabus would include links to support material to help teachers with its delivery. Mr Roberts thanked everyone who had been involved in the review for the contributions they had made to the exercise.

RESOLVED that the Chairman be authorised to formally approve the new Agreed Syllabus on behalf of Devon SACRE following an opportunity for SACRE members to consider and discuss the document and raise any relevant issues at the training session following the main SACRE meeting.

(b) Monitoring Visits

Mr Roberts reported on recent monitoring visits to two secondary schools which had been the subject of concerns about compliance and time allocation issues with Religious Education especially at KS4 and low examination entry and pass levels. Discussions with students, the teachers in charge of Religious Education and Headteachers had been very positive. Both schools had appreciated the support given by SACRE and welcomed further development of Religious Education studies in their schools. A paper on a monitoring visit to a secondary school undertaken in May 2014 was circulated at the meeting.

During discussion, SACRE members acknowledged the merits of professional support from Religious Education Advisers etc being available to all categories of Devon schools not just maintained schools and a dialogue with them on Religious Education activities, subject to resource considerations. Mr Pawson confirmed that he would like SACRE s work to be seen as a beacon of good practice in all schools and that he would be prepared to make contact with any schools outside the maintained sector identified by SACRE members as potentially benefitting from SACRE s involvement.

36 National Developments

Mr Pawson reported on the following:

(a) NATRE

Launch of new membership scheme and benefits;

Secondary Religious Education teachers survey;

Current campaigns: against withdrawal of bursaries for Religious Education teacher training (no progress); GCSE and A Level examination reforms - (Government had agreed to reform).

(b) Religious Education Council

Launch of Expert Advisory Group (to identify support for implementing the new Religious Education curriculum framework);

All Party Parliamentary Group - Report on Religious Education s contribution to improving community relations; Progress on implementing recommendations in RE: The Truth Unmasked on the supply of, and support for, Religious Education teachers;

Formation of Professional Development Group.

37 Holocaust Memorial Day 2015 Planning: Theme - Keep the Memory Alive

Mr Pawson reported that a start needed to be made on planning for next year s Holocaust Memorial Day and asked that any SACRE members who were interested in being involved to attend a brief meeting after this SACRE meeting.

38 Educating Ourselves: Presentation on Islam for Beginners

This item was deferred until a future meeting in the absence of Mrs Khreisheh, Muslim Community Representative.

39 SACRE and Safeguarding

Mr Pawson asked SACRE members to consider where children and young people safeguarding issues might arise in relation to SACRE s work with a view to clarifying the role and responsibilities of SACRE (if any) for their management. A copy of the Devon Safeguarding Children Board s Golden Rules for safeguarding was circulated at the meeting for information.

SACRE members identified several areas where safeguarding issues might arise.

RESOLVED that the suggestions made by SACRE members (and any received after the meeting) be reviewed and a proposed way forward discussed at the next (November 2014) SACRE meeting.

40 SACRE Constitution - Payment to Schools for Supply Cover

Mr Pawson referred to the provision in the SACRE Constitution that supply cover for teachers from LEA schools will be funded and - prompted by the circumstances of the non-attendance of a faith community representative at this meeting - raised the issue of whether this should be extended to include schools outside the maintained sector, and perhaps similar cover for professions other than teaching, while acknowledging the need to take into account the potential impact on the SACRE budget. Mr Pawson added that this situation, and the many changes in the education system over recent years, highlighted the need for the current SACRE Constitution, which had been approved in 2006, to be reviewed.

RESOLVED that a review be undertaken of the Devon SACRE Constitution and the issue of payments to schools for supply cover and a draft revised Constitution be submitted to the next (November 2014) SACRE meeting.

41 SW SACRE Conference, 20 March 2014 - Feedback

Mr Gooddy reported on the 2014 South West SACRE Conference on Building Effective RE in a New Educational Landscape held at Dillington House, Ilminster, Somerset on Thursday 20 March 2014 which had been well received by delegates including the four Devon SACRE members.

42 Dates of Future SACRE Meetings

RESOLVED

(a) that the date of the next SACRE meeting be changed from Wednesday 5 November 2014 to Tuesday 11 November 2014 (10.00am at County Hall);

(b) that SACRE meetings be held on Tuesday 10 February and Wednesday 3 June 2015 (both 10.00am at County Hall).

The meeting started at 10.00am and finished at 12.50pm, following an adjournment from 11.20am to 11.50am.

Minutes of this Committee are published on the County Council s Website at: :