Hampshire County Council Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education Agreed Syllabus Conference Meeting

Apologies were received from Graeme Rowe, Noel Thorpe-Tracey, Rhiannon Love, Alasdair Richardson, Sushma Sahajpal, Rhian Jones, Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo.

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Personal interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 4 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Elizabeth Jenkerson indicated that she was a judge for the Westhill awards.  Councillor Donnelly stated that he was a governor of a Church of England primary school.

The minutes of the previous meeting on 3 March 2020 were agreed.

No requests to make a deputation had been received.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to this important meeting, especially those at their first SACRE meeting.  She also thanked Heather Thorpe-Tracey for standing in for her husband.

The Agreed Syllabus Conference considered the report of the Director of Children’s Services (item 6 in the Minute book) seeking their approval of the revised Locally Agreed Syllabus, Living Difference IV.  The professional advisers, Patricia Hannam and Justine Ball, gave a presentation explaining the review and the content of the proposed new Locally Agreed Syllabus. 

It was noted that the review had been undertaken in a difficult educational climate and religious education context and at a particular point in history with the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis. In the last six months the Ofsted subject review had emphasised that the locally agreed syllabus was what local authority schools should be teaching and had reiterated the requirement to teach RE across all key stages in all schools.

Living Difference IV was not a precise prescription for what to teach but provides teachers with a set of principles for teaching and for making the curriculum for their schools. Living Difference IV placed more emphasis on teachers and their teaching and curriculum making.  Living Difference IV also intends to make better links between the purpose statement and progression.

A number of elements in the new syllabus had remained the same as in Living Difference III – the purpose statement, the process for teaching religious education and for making a curriculum. Living Difference IV retains the three broad groups of concepts/words.

The changes that had been made were detailed; these included the choice of title and front cover illustration and the replacement of ‘Enquire’ with ‘Inquire’ in the process for teaching which continues to be known as the cycle of enquiry.  New legislation, particularly with regard to the Early Years Framework, had been taken into account.  Religion specific material had been discussed and approved by scholars.  There was now improved coherence and progression between key stages, particularly the primary to secondary transition.  Four ‘Golden Thread ‘concepts – community, belonging, love and special – had been developed which would weave throughout the key stages to ensure continuity within and between key stages. The End of Year Expectations (EYE’s) had been redeveloped to link more closely with the Purpose Statement. The appendices had been revised with new ones added, and the bibliography had been extended.  The position of the syllabus in relation to the Religion and World Views debate had been articulated in the appendices.  There was a new option for teachers of using up to 20% of curriculum time as ‘pondering time’, where children and young people would be able to explore their own interests. 

Members were briefly shown exemplar cycles of enquiry for year one and year eight.

Following an opportunity to ask questions the four groups convened to vote on the proposed adoption of the revised syllabus.

It was unanimously agreed to approve Living Difference IV.

RESOLVED:

a)    The Agreed Syllabus Conference approved the revised Agreed Syllabus, Living Difference IV, and recommended to the local authority that it should be the Locally Agreed Syllabus for use across the authority’s schools.

b)    That following the virtual launch on 30 November 2021, Living Difference IV would be made available to schools for use in making the religious education curriculum as well as guiding the teaching process in Hampshire schools.