Agenda and minutes

To elect the Chair of Camden SACRE for the 2019-20 academic year.

Shahanaz Begum was proposed and seconded as a nominee for Chair of SACRE. There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED –

THAT Shahanaz Begum be elected Chair of Camden SACRE for the 2019-20 academic year.

To elect the Vice-Chair of Camden SACRE for the 2019-20 academic year.

Ann Boater was proposed and seconded as a nominee for Vice-Chair of SACRE. There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED –

THAT Ann Boater be elected Vice-Chair of Camden SACRE for the 2019-20 academic year.

Apologies were received from Councillor Nasim Ali, Luke Dowding, Krishna Pujara and Sophie Fegan.

There were no announcements.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th June 2019.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th June 2019.

Councillor Higson said that she would have liked there to be more emphasis in the minutes on the request made by newer members for more information and training to help them undertake their role. She said she would like to see information from the Local Authority about the curriculum, exam results and inspection data regarding schools.

The Chair said that she had had a meeting with Jon Abbey, the Director of Camden Learning, which she had found helpful in terms of building links and raising the profile of SACRE. She said she was keen to attend meetings of the primary and secondary heads’ networks. She added that Claire Clinton had attended one of the network meetings to raise the profile of SACRE, RE and collective worship.

Members said that they would like to have the self-evaluation framework from the previous meeting come back to future meetings of SACRE. They also asked for a standing item from Camden Learning at future meetings.

                                                            ACTION:  Clerk to SACRE

                                                                              Camden Learning

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th June 2019 be approved and signed as a correct record.

To note the membership of SACRE and a presentation from the Professional Advisor on the role of SACRE members.

Consideration was given to a list of SACRE members and to PowerPoint slides on the role of SACRE members.

It was noted that Sophie Fegan was a Roman Catholic representative on Panel A of SACRE.

Members asked that members who infrequently attended be contacted by the clerk to ask if they were still interested in serving on the committee.

                                                            ACTION: Clerk to SACRE

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the list of members be noted, subject to the addition of Sophie Fegan as an RC rep;

(ii)          THAT the presentation be noted;

(iii)         THAT members of SACRE who had not been attending SACRE recently be contacted to ask if they still wished to serve.

To note the list of schools with Determinations and consider the request for a Determination from Gospel Oak Primary School.

Consideration was given to the list of schools with Determinations and to the application from Gospel Oak School.

Members noted that 13 community schools within the borough did not have Determinations. There was some discussion about whether SACRE should write to those schools to advise them of their right to apply for a Determination, but other members were of the view that it was up to a school whether to apply for a Determination and the ones without one might be perfectly content with conducting collective worship of a ‘broadly Christian’ character as required by legislation. There might be other schools which were not complying with legislative requirements, but this would be something that the Local Authority would have to raise with the school, in the event that OFSTED or others brought this to their attention. SACRE itself did not have enforcement powers.

Members noted that it had not yet been possible for SACRE members to visit Gospel Oak School, but that a visit was scheduled for 4^th November. Members welcomed the application and noted that there was a variety of religious backgrounds represented among the children at the school. Only about 20% of children came from Christian backgrounds.They noted that, due to space constraints, there was only one whole school assembly each term. Most collective worship was conducted in classrooms with individual classes.

Members agreed to grant Gospel Oak a renewal of its Determination, subject to a satisfactory outcome of the school visit.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the list of Determinations be noted;

(ii)          THAT Gospel Oak School be granted a Determination, subject to a satisfactory outcome from the school visit.

To consider Camden SACRE’s priorities for 2019-20.

Consideration was given to a draft priorities document for SACRE which Claire Clinton had produced.

Members welcomed the draft document. They noted that the SACRE already did have a humanist representative and so that action point did not need to be followed up. Members said that they would like the points discussed earlier in the meeting – in terms of information being provided to members about curriculum, exam results and inspection reports – to be included in the priorities document.

The Professional Advisor reminded members of Camden SACRE’s entitlement to send a member to the NASACRE conference in spring. Members also asked that the Ramadan guidance be added to the action points, and measures be taken to ensure it arrived with schools in good time for the start of Ramadan.

RESOLVED –

THAT the draft priorities document be agreed, subject to the amendments above.

To consider the NASACRE (National Association of SACREs) development plan.

Members noted the NASCARE development plan.

To note an update from the Professional Advisor, including information from the House of Commons library on RE in England, an article from RE Today and a copy of a letter from Gavin Williamson MP to the Chairperson of NASACRE. 

Link to the House of Commons library research briefing: https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7167

Consideration was given to the information provided by the Professional Advisor.

A member noted the reference to Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in Gavin Williamson MP’s letter to the Chair of NASACRE and said it was a matter she thought SACRE should hear more about.

The Chair said that she had met officers in a personal capacity to hear about Camden’s RSE policy. However, she was of the view RSE might be beyond the remit of SACRE to consider.

The Professional Advisor suggested that it would be beneficial to send a link to the House of Commons briefing paper on RE in England to Heads.

                                                                        ACTION: Camden Learning

RESOLVED –

THAT the Professional Advisor’s report be noted.

There was no other business.

The dates of future meetings are:

·         Tuesday, 21^st January 2020

·         Monday, 20^th April 2020

The dates of future meetings would be:

·         Tuesday, 21^st January 2020

·         Monday, 20^th April 2020