Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies and changes to membership and welcome new members.

Members noted the resignation of Kate Martin from the Advisory Council and thanked her for all of her hard work over the years.  

To elect the Chair and Vice Chair for the Municipal Year 2023-2024.

The members present noted that the meeting was not quorate and therefore it was unable to elect a Chair or Vice-Chair at this meeting and noted that the election would take place at the next scheduled meeting.  In the absence of a vote the position of chair at the meeting was Chaired by Ruth Gill. 

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2023, attached.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

An activity developing proposals for a new role description for SACRE members.

Members present took part in an activity exploring an number of options that could be seen to define a new description of the role and expectations of a of SACRE Member.

Following the exercise It was explained that the findings would help to form the basis for for the role description in the forthcoming induction pack.

Members to have a demonstration at the meeting of the NASACRE website Welcome to NASACRE - NASACRE

A demonstration of the NASACRE website  outlined to members the very useful resources and information that was available online  https://nasacre.org.uk/ Members were informed that the password for member areas would be circulated seperately.

To review the finalised self- evaluation.

Members were unable to sign off the finalised review as the meeting was not quorate.  It was noted that the item would return to a later meeting for ratification.

Members present discussed potential items for the forthcoming plan and noted that a focus should be:

·  to reinstate a program of school reviews;

·  improve awareness and acceptance of the diversity of faiths and beliefs; and

·  establish a network of spokesperson for faiths and beliefs that could be called upon by schools to promote a clearer understanding of issues relating to their beliefs. 

To receive a review of the monitoring visits over the 2022-2023 period.

Members learnt that only 1 school visit had taken place in the previous year  due to restrictions relating to Covid protocols and a number of issues.  The Members were informed that it was an important part of the Role of SACRE and that most requested visits were at the behest of a school’s head teacher.  It was noted that reintroduction of a robust visit frame should be part of the forthcoming action plan.  

Discussion of the potential programme for the forthcoming academic year.

Members were briefed on the need to resume visits as schools had found visits a valuable tool in the past to help assess how they were performing against the agreed syllabus for religious education especially for the period in a child’s school life after the choice of GSCE subjects.  It was noted that even for those children who had not undertaken to study religious education there was an obligation on the school to provide an element of education that helped students understand.