Agenda and minutes

Venue: MS Teams - Virtual Meeting

Contact: Shelley Humphries  Tel: 01902 554070 email:  shelley.humphries@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome and Introductions

Minutes:

Resolved:

That it be noted that the meeting was inquorate and any decisions made would be ratified by the full membership outside of the meeting.

2.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Mark Cooper, Reverend Stephen Jackson, Kay Cresswell-Green and Yvonne Fegan.

 

Alex Wolvers attended for Mark Cooper.

3.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 238 KB

[To approve the minutes of the meeting of 5 March 2020 as a correct record.]

Minutes:

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of 5 March 2020 be approved as a correct record.

4.

Matters Arising

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 5 March 2020.]

Minutes:

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

5.

Report from Religious Education (RE) Today pdf icon PDF 683 KB

Minutes:

Lat Blaylock, RE Today delivered a presentation summarising key points from the RE Today Update Report.

6.

RE Today Update

[To receive an update from RE Today.]

Minutes:

The presentation also provided an outline of the feedback from the survey as part of the draft Wolverhampton SACRE agreed RE Syllabus consultation. The number of responses had not been as extensive as hoped, however useful feedback had been provided to inform the final draft.

 

A number of comments had been gathered and a number of issues had been identified that could now be addressed in the development of the final draft:

 

  1. OFSTED language of intent, implement, impact
  2. Progression, achievement, outcomes and assessment
  3. Clarity of the ways that pupils learn towards the outcomes
  4. Support for Early Years Foundation Stage teaching
  5. Recognition of the many teachers with the specialisms doing RE in both primary and secondary
  6. Lack of engagement with the syllabus by some (comments from some respondents show they have not referred to the syllabus)
  7. Only 28% of these schools give as much time as an hour a week to RE.
  8. Issues around RE budget allocations
  9. Additional support for SEND settings
  10. Maintaining all that is good about the current situation – active network in primary, much that these respondents like.

 

In response to a query about whether Wolverhampton was unique in terms of the nature of the responses, it was noted that the issues raised were fairly typical of all schools. What set Wolverhampton apart was the high quality of the Scheme of Work attached to the Syllabus. The Scheme of Work had provided a good level of support, particularly to non-specialist teachers of the subject.

 

It was clarified that no radical changes were called for as the Syllabus offered weight to a wide range of faiths.

 

Resolved:

That the RE Today Update be received.

7.

Anti-Racist Religious Education Resourcing Project

[To receive an update on the Anti-Racist RE Resourcing Project.]

Minutes:

It was reported that a project had been launched to help tackle the issue of racism in RE lessons. Funding had been provided and around 30 BAME RE Teachers had developed a package of resources to support learning, which had been launched on 1 October 2020. Seminars had been held to introduce the project, 15 teachers had received training and a number of high-quality resources were available for all Wolverhampton schools to access. 

 

Resolved:

That the Anti-Racist Religious Resourcing Project be received.

8.

City of Wolverhampton SACRE Annual Report 2019 - 2020 pdf icon PDF 477 KB

[To approve the City of Wolverhampton SACRE Annual Report 2019 - 2020.]

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Laura Jude, Disadvantaged Advisory Teacher presented the City of Wolverhampton SACRE Annual Report 2019 – 2020 and highlighted key points. The Annual Report of Wolverhampton SACRE covered the academic year 2019-2020 and outlined the work of the Advisory Council in that period. The attached SACRE Action Plan 2020 – 2021 formed part of the report and set out the proposed priorities for the coming academic year, 2020-2021.

 

It was highlighted that the membership represented in Panel C - The Teachers’ Professional Associations would need to be clarified therefore the report was agreed subject to these clarifications and the decision being ratified by the full membership.

 

Following a vote, it was agreed that membership was approved for Alison Smith and Reverend Nick Watson, both nominated Representatives for Church of England.

 

Resolved:

1.    That the City of Wolverhampton SACRE Annual Report 2019 – 2020 be approved subject to requested amendments to membership and ratification of the full Board membership.

 

2.    That membership be approved for Alison Smith and Reverend Nick Watson as Representatives for Church of England.

9.

Secondary Education

[To discuss RE provision for Secondary Education.]

Minutes:

Laura Jude, Disadvantaged Advisory Teacher provided an update on responding to secondary schools not fulfilling their requirements in terms of time dedicated to teaching RE. It was noted that at the last meeting it had been agreed that face-to-face engagement might be more appropriate than a letter, however the emergence of COVID-19 and subsequent social distancing restrictions had delayed this.

 

It was noted that Laura Jude, Disadvantaged Advisory Teacher and Phil Leivers, Head of Service Educational Excellence had opened good channels of communication with Wolverhampton schools by virtual means and would engage with schools via these channels. It was suggested that further engagement could be incorporated into the launch of the RE Syllabus with a mop-up after if required.

 

Resolved:

  1. That the update on Secondary Education be noted.

2.    That Laura Jude, Disadvantaged Advisory Teacher and Phil Leivers, Head of Service Educational Excellence engage with Wolverhampton schools by virtual means to address time allocated to teaching RE in secondary schools.

10.

Local Authority Update

[To receive an update from the Local Authority.]

Minutes:

Laura Jude, Disadvantaged Advisory Teacher delivered the Local Authority Update presentation which highlighted key events. It was noted that in October 2020, Anti-Racism in RE was to be launched in primary schools followed by a move toward an anti-racist curriculum in secondary schools. A joint training session was planned for secondary colleagues using resources as outlined earlier by Lat Blaylock, RE Today.

 

An update on the progress of the Locally Agreed RE Syllabus proposed that the online consultation be extended and reopened from 19 October - 2 November 2020. There would be an opportunity for SACRE to provide final feedback at the meeting in December and the Locally Agreed RE Syllabus with attached scheme of work would be approved by SACRE at the March meeting.

 

It was noted that the Kirpan Policy required some further work and that further consultation with the Authority’s legal team was required. An update on this would be provided at the next meeting.

 

It was reported that a SACRE Newsletter was under development which would be launched during Autumn Term two via the Schools Bulletin and issued once per term.

 

 

Resolved:

  1. That the online consultation for the Locally Agreed RE Syllabus be extended and reopened from 19 October - 2 November 2020, subject to ratification of full Wolverhampton SACRE membership.
  2. That the Locally Agreed RE Syllabus and scheme of work be approved at the meeting of 11 March 2020 following final feedback at the December meeting.

3.    That the finalised Kirpan Policy be provided at a future Wolverhampton SACRE meeting for approval.

11.

Ofsted Findings During the Last Quarter

[To receive an update on Ofsted findings during the last quarter.]

Minutes:

It was noted that there had been no relevant inspections since 5 March 2020.

12.

Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) and Inspection 48 Findings During the Last Quarter

[To receive an update on findings from SIAMS and Inspection 48 Visits.]

Minutes:

It was reported that there had been no relevant inspections since 5 March 2020. The SIAMS report from before 5 March placed Bilston Church of England Primary School as Good and St Luke’s Church of England Aided Primary School as Excellent.

13.

Any other business

Minutes:

There was no other business.

14.

Dates of further meetings

10 December 2020

11 March 2021

20 May 2021

 

Minutes:

  • 10 December 2020
  • 11 March 2021

·       20 May 2021