Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of Camden SACRE for the 2015-16 academic year.

Jim Walters was proposed as Chair of Camden SACRE. There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED –

THAT Jim Walters be elected Chair of Camden SACRE for the 2015-16 academic year.

To elect a Vice-Chair of Camden SACRE for the 2015-16 academic year.

Abdul Quadir was proposed as Vice-Chair of the SACRE. There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED –

THAT Abdul Quadir be elected Vice-Chair of Camden SACRE for the 2015-16 academic year.

There were no announcements.

There were no declarations of interest.

Apologies for absence had been received from Peter Ginnings, Jean Harrison, Councillor Oliver Lewis, Lynne Trigg and Michelle Chalibamba.

Alice Fuller announced she would be standing down from Camden SACRE and would be being replaced as the Humanist representative by Liam Whitton. Members thanked Alice for her work on SACRE and welcomed Liam.

It was agreed that Anna Lockley-Scott, who taught at Camden School for Girls, would be joining Panel C as a teachers’ representative. She was advised to get confirmation from her trade union that they would be willing to nominate her as a SACRE member. Members welcomed Anna to SACRE.

RESOLVED –

THAT the membership update above be noted.

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd June 2015.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd June 2015.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd June 2015 be approved and signed as a correct record.

(i)            To consider an application for a Determination from Primrose Hill Primary school.

(ii)          To note the list of schools with Determinations and their expiry date.

Members considered an application for a Determination from Primrose Hill Primary School.

The Professional Advisor to SACRE, Lesley Prior, reported on the visit that Camden SACRE members made to the school. She said they had been impressed with the behaviour of the children. There had been a moving song sung by children on the refugee crisis which was being filmed.

The Chair noted that there had been an opportunity for prayer or quiet reflection. He had met with the Head and was impressed by the work done by him and the new RE Co-Ordinator on collective worship. There had been no exclusions of children by their parents from collective worship.

Concern was voiced by members that the assembly plan had reference to certain Jewish and Muslim festivals on days when they were not occurring. This may be due to the fact that assemblies were taking place on certain days of the week and so they would have to mention these festivals several days beforehand or afterwards.

Councillor Roy welcomed the use of films in education. She said it was difficult to produce good film and suggested that schools could liaise with the WAC Arts free school about this.

Members agreed to grant the Determination.

                                                            ACTION: Committee Services (VS)

There was a discussion about the list of schools with and without Determinations. It was noted that Beckford, Rhyl and Swiss Cottage schools had Determinations which would expire in February 2016. The Clerk was to write to them to inform them of this and to advise them to contact the Professional Advisor to discuss matters.

                                                            ACTION: Committee Services (VS)

Members discussed whether schools without Determinations should be written to in order to advise them of this and to ask them to check whether they wanted to have one. It was considered that this was beyond the remit of SACRE. However, SACRE members could visit schools without Determinations and, if they felt that the assembly did not meet the legal criteria of being of a “broadly Christian” character then they could advise the school that they were not being compliant with the legislation and if they wished to continue to have assemblies which were not broadly Christian then they could apply for Determinations. The Chair said that he would be interested in visiting schools without Determinations, and had visited Fitzjohn’s school in the past.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT a Determination be granted to Primrose Hill school;

(ii)          THAT Beckford, Rhyl and Swiss Cottage schools be informed that their Determinations would be coming to an end in February 2016 and how to re-apply.

To consider a draft of Camden SACRE’s annual report for 2014-15.

Consideration was given to the draft SACRE annual report.

Members noted that not all schools with an expired Determination were re-applying and that this paragraph should be changed.

Councillor Rosenberg suggested that a paragraph could be added about the Faith Leaders’ meeting. He undertook to write one and email it to the Clerk after the meeting.

The annual report was normally sent to the Local Authority, the Department for Education and NASACRE. Councillor Rosenberg suggested that it might be something that the Council’s Children, Schools & Families Scrutiny Committee or Culture & Environment Scrutiny Committee would want to consider.  

RESOLVED –

THAT the draft report be approved, subject to the amendments above.

To consider a verbal update from Rev. Dr. Jim Walters on the Faith Leaders Forum meeting.

Councillor Rosenberg reported on the Faith Leaders’ Forum meeting that had been held on 29^th June 2015. He felt it had been a good and useful event.

Jim Walters said he had welcomed the chance to explain to religious leaders in the borough what the role of SACRE was, and its interest in ensuring children studying in the borough received a good religious education which improved their ‘religious literacy’.

To consider a verbal update from Tracy Edwards on support networks for RE teachers.

There was a discussion on the importance of support networks for RE teachers. This was a project Tracey Edwards was working on. The view was expressed that some teachers lacked religious knowledge themselves and so training and networking was required to boost this.

Anna Lockley-Scott commented that as a new teacher in the borough she had not received information about borough-wide events and it would be helpful to be able to make links with teachers at other schools.

Ms Lockley-Scott added that the new syllabus required focus on two religions in detail rather than the previous one where there was more scope to cover ethics and philosophy.

There was a discussion about the need to have a list of guest speakers that could come to schools to speak on a particular religion or a particular topic. However, it was noted that there were difficulties in drawing up such a list and ensuring that speakers would be able to deliver appropriate talks to classes and were representative of views within their denomination.

Members noted that the Camden/Islington joint SACRE conference would take place at the LSE Faith Centre on 23^rd February 2016 at 6.30pm.

Ms Prior said that she had invited Charles Clarke to speak and he had agreed. He had been involved in writing a report on RE after he was a minister.

There would be about 120 places available. The Chair said that his assistant would be able to set up an Eventbrite event so that people could book tickets.

To receive a verbal update on NASACRE from the Professional Advisor to Camden SACRE.

The Professional Advisor informed members that the NASACRE conference would be on 17^th May 2016 in London. Camden SACRE was urged to send a delegate. The Chair indicated that he would be able to attend on Camden’s behalf.

She said that Nicky Morgan, the Secretary of State for Education, had been invited but had not been confirmed yet.

There was no other business.

Future meetings of Camden SACRE will be on:

·         Tuesday, 9^th February 2016

·         Tuesday, 10^th May 2016

It was noted that the future meetings of SACRE would be on:

·         Tuesday, 9^th February 2016

·         Tuesday, 10^th May 2016