Issue - meetings

To approve the draft Advice Document and recommend its circulation to all schools by the Local Authority (document to follow).

The SACRE received a verbal update on the progress of the advice document to advise the Local Authority regarding issues that schools may face linked to faith and / or cultural issues.  The aim was also for the document to be a useful support in considering different faiths when developing policy and responding to requests/questions.  The approval for the final draft from the SACRE was sought. Following approval of the SACRE the document would go forward to the LA and then be available to go out to schools. It was accepted that the document would change and a first revision undertaken after the first year.

The draft document and the feedback received had been seen by SCC Corporate Legal Services.

It was AGREED that the Advice Document, as circulated to SACRE members at the meeting, subject to final proof reading / graphic design changes, be approved by the SACRE to go forward to the Local Authority. 

For note – the Muslim Council of Southampton have developed a comprehensive guide for supporting Muslim pupils in schools of their own, which is in draft at the moment. The Chair had been in dialogue with Alison about this and it is seen as a positive step forward in the information available within Southampton for our schools. (Update to SACRE when it is available).

Verbal update from the Advice Document working group regarding the consultation and resulting draft document for schools for discussion and comment from members.

The SACRE received a verbal update regarding the progress on the development of an advice document from SACRE to advise the LA regarding issues that schools may face with incidents/questions/concerns linked to faith and / or cultural issues.

It was reported that the group had met twice so far (on 2 October and 6 November) and that membership, other than the main SACRE faith groups (Jackie Meering, Anas al Korj, Priti Dave, Elizabeth Jenkerson, Allan King, Harmeet Singh-Brar, David Vane, Julian Waterfield) was led by Alison Philpott – Professional Advisor to SACRE and included representatives from SCC Pupil Services, the ASC Writing Group and schools.

The SACRE was informed that a productive consultation had been carried out involving faith groups and schools in the City, including through Southampton Council of Faiths.  However, the Muslim Council of Southampton had requested an extension to the time for responses to enable a wider consultation with Muslim groups which was being given in order to ensure increase the opportunity for a wider range of feedback and hopefully greater commitment to the document and its concept.

A draft document and the feedback received had been passed to SCC, Corporate Legal Services for comment.  Further feedback was invited to be sent direct to Alison for consideration at the next meeting of the group which had been agreed for 10 December at St Anne’s School, where the advice would be further developed following the legal and other feedback received.  It was hoped that a final version would be ready to present to the Local Authority in February next year.