Agenda and minutes

There were no announcements.

Apologies were received from Councillors Mike Katz, Russell Eagling and Maryam Eslamdoust and from Lynndy Levin, Alice Fuller and Krishna Pujara.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting on 28th February 2012.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the SACRE meeting held on 28^th February 2012.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting on 28^th February 2012 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Report of the Professional Adviser to SACRE.

This report asks members to consider the application for a Determination from  Haverstock school. A visit has been made by SACRE members prior to this meeting and a report from the visit is included.

Consideration was given to a report of the Professional Advisor to SACRE.

For reasons of transparency, Councillor Fulbrook declared an interest as he had formerly been a parent governor at the school.

The meeting was informed that Colin Adams and two SACRE members (Rev James Walters and Liz Wolverson) had visited Haverstock School and had observed a Year 9 assembly.

They did not feel the assembly had been a good example of collective worship. Year 9 assemblies were not normally held in the afternoon, and this one was being held outside of the normal routine. During the assembly, teachers had been trying to take the register and this detracted from what the Head had been saying.

Members also noted that the assembly plan that had been asked for had not been provided.

Members stated in discussion that they were minded to reject the determination. They asked the Professional Advisor to try to liaise with the school about the importance of collective worship and emphasise to them that they needed to either comply with the legislation regarding collective worship of a ‘broadly Christian’ character or to re-apply for a Determination.

RESOLVED –

THAT the application for a Determination by Haverstock School be rejected.

Report of the Professional Adviser to SACRE.

This report asks members to consider the application for the renewal of a Determination from Christopher Hatton School. A visit has been made by SACRE members to the school prior to this meeting and a report from the visit will be circulated prior to the meeting and will be available at the meeting.

Consideration was given to a report of the Professional Advisor to SACRE.

The meeting was informed that Peter Ginnings and Colin Adams had visited Christopher Hatton School. They had observed an assembly and spoken with staff. They had been impressed with the way the assembly had been conducted and with the school’s ethos.

RESOLVED –

THAT a Determination be granted to Christopher Hatton School.

Report of the Professional Adviser to SACRE.

Following discussion at the last SACRE meeting it was agreed to re-draft guidance for non-denominational schools about collective worship and to ask the Local Authority to send the agreed version to all non-denominational schools in Camden.

Consideration was given to a report of the Professional Advisor to SACRE.

Members thanked Lynn Trigg and James Walters for redrafting the guidance after the discussion at the last meeting.

Members felt the guidance would be helpful for schools and would be more likely for busy teachers to read – as it was more succinct than NASACRE’s guidance.

RESOLVED –

THAT the guidance be agreed and that the Local Authority be recommended to distribute it to all non-denominational schools.

The meeting was informed that the launch event for the new Agreed Syllabus would be in the Crowndale Centre at 5pm on 25^th June. Michael Shew, the Acting Assistant Director of CSF, would be attending. The new syllabus would come into effect on 1^st September 2012.

Colin Adams also said he would speak with council officers to see if a press release could be issued about the launch event.

                                                ACTION: Professional Advisor to SACRE (CA)

It was confirmed to the meeting that Islington SACRE were interested in a joint event. Colin Adams said that he would be having a planning meeting to start the process of arranging the March 2013 meeting.

Members suggested that assessment would be a useful topic to centre the joint meeting on. Liz Wolverson asked that the 12^th March be avoided as a meeting date, since it clashed with the date of a major event involving C of E schools.

The Chair reported on the AGM of the National Association of SACREs.

She highlighted the welcome news that the number of RE teachers and the number of hours taught had increased recently. However, the move to the English Baccalaureate meant that there were going to be fewer entries for ‘full course’ RE GCSEs. Additionally, about half of secondary schools were now academies or free schools and they were not governed by an agreed syllabus or by the RE requirements that local authority maintained schools were. 

She said that NASACRE was conducting an RE survey and that this would be out in September.

Members were informed that an All-Party Parliamentary Group on RE had been formed. It had managed to get 115 MPs to sign up to their Early Day Motion.

The dates for SACRE meetings for the next academic year were agreed. The meetings would be held on:

·         Tuesday 23^rd October 2012

·         Tuesday 26^th February 2013

·         Tuesday 11^th June 2013

There was no other business.