Hampshire County Council

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Meeting

Name: Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education
Start: 2023-02-28T14:00:00Z
End: 2023-02-28T18:00:00Z
Location: Ashburton Hall, EII Court, Winchester

Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education - Hampshire

Agenda

Published

Minutes

Published

Meeting Times

Scheduled Time

Start:
Tuesday, 28th February 2023
2:00 PM

End:
Tuesday, 28th February 2023
6:00 PM

Actual Time

Started:
Tuesday, 28th February 2023
12:00 AM

Finished:
Tuesday, 28th February 2023
12:00 AM

Meeting Status

Status:
Confirmed

Date:
28 Feb 2023

Location:
Ashburton Hall, EII Court, Winchester

Meeting Attendees

Co-opted Member

Gill Heron

Academy Schools

Expected

Co-opted Member

Rhiannon Love

Higher Education

Present, as expected

Co-opted Member

James Pitkin

Governors

Present, as expected

Chairman

Councillor Elaine Still

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Vice-Chairman

Councillor Christopher Donnelly

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Conservative Deputy

Councillor Juliet Henderson

Conservative

Present, as substitute

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Conservative Deputy

Councillor Jackie Branson

Conservative

Not required

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Committee Member

Councillor Pal Hayre

Conservative

Apologies, sent representative

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Committee Member

Councillor Wayne Irish

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Liberal Democrats Deputy

Councillor Jackie Porter

Liberal Democrat

Not required

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Committee Member

Father John Chandler

Roman Catholic Church

Expected

Committee Member

Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo

Muslim

Apologies

Committee Member

Danny Habel

Jewish Community

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Chris Hughes

Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Elizabeth Jenkerson

Baha'i

Apologies

Committee Member

Rhian Jones

Salvation Army

Apologies

Committee Member

Charmian Harrison

Methodists

Expected

Committee Member

Yasmeen Hussain

Muslim

Apologies

Committee Member

Lisa-Marie Taylor

Buddhist

Expected

Committee Member

Noel Thorpe-Tracey

Society of Friends

Apologies

Committee Member

Harjinder Virdee

Sikh Representative

Expected

Committee Member

Sue Bowen

Church of England

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Jeff Williams

Church of England

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Rev Howard Wright

Church of England

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Maria Ackland

Church of England

Present, as expected

Deputy

Robert Sanders

Church of England

Not required

Committee Member

Maureen Barnes

Teachers' Liaison Panel

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Graeme Rowe

Teachers' Liaison Panel

Expected

Committee Member

Julie Kelly

Teachers' Liaison Panel

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Carson Elday

Teachers' Liaison Panel - Special Schools

Present, as expected

Deputy

Rachel Jackson

Teachers' Liaison Panel - Primary Schools

Present, as expected

Deputy

Jon Hamer

Teachers' Liaison Panel - Secondary Schools

Present, as expected

Co-opted Member

Alasdair Richardson

Higher Education

Present, as expected

Co-opted Member

Chris Robinson

Humanists

Present, as expected

Agenda

1 Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes Apologies have been received from:

Cllr Pal Hayre, Cllr Henderson was in attendance as the substitute for the Conservative group. Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo Elizabeth Jenkerson Rhian Jones Yasmeen Hussain Noel Thorpe-Tracey

2 Declarations of Interest

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that interest and, having regard to Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members’ Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore all Members with a Personal Interest in a matter being considered at the meeting should consider, having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 4 of the Code, whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 5 of the Code, consider whether it is appropriate to leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Minutes 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 5 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.

3 Minutes of the previous meeting

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting.

Attachments:

Document Minutes - SACRE 1 November 2022 20 Feb 2023

Minutes The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as an accurate record.

4 Deputations

To receive any deputations.

Minutes There were no deputations received.

5 Chairman's Announcements

To receive any Chairman’s announcements.

Minutes The Chairman welcomed Chris May, the new Secondary RE advisor and Adam Mori, the new SACRE Clerk from Democratic and Members Services to their first SACRE meeting.

The Chairman expressed her thanks on behalf of SACRE to Jackie Taylor, for her time as Clerk.

6 Monitoring Group

To receive a report on behalf of the Director of Children’s Services regarding the activities and discussions of the monitoring group in relation to the monitoring of RE and the implementation of Living Difference III.

Attachments:

Document Report - Monitoring Group 20 Feb 2023

Minutes SACRE received a report from the Director of Children’s Services on the discussions of the Monitoring Group at its recent meeting on Wednesday 25 January 2023. It was noted that SACRE had a statutory responsibility to monitor the effectiveness of the locally agreed syllabus.

Members noted a summary of the following areas discussed by the Monitoring Group:

·         Hampshire’s 2022 GCSE Religious Studies (RE) Examinations.

·         Professional Education Opportunities.

·         SACRE Monitoring Visits.

·         Reports from Primary & Secondary Ofsted visits.

·         Information gathered from other inspector/advisor visits.

·         Teacher vacancies and ITE provision.

·         Withdrawal from RE survey and monitoring collective worship.

·         2021 Census Results.

Highlights included the 9% drop in RE entries since 2019, where this had previously been consistent, however this was broadly in line with the national picture. It was also noted that the recent survey on withdrawal from RE and Collective Worship showed a very low withdrawal rate for Hampshire. Where this did occur, it was mainly due to the individual’s religious beliefs.

In response to questions members found that:

The school specific data was not yet available, so it was not known if the 9% drop in RE entries was spread evenly across Hampshire or in certain areas. The ‘Understanding Christianity’ materials, alongside others, were available to support provision in Church of England schools.

Resolved:

That the SACRE notes the Monitoring Group report.

7 Key National and Local RE Matters

To receive a report on behalf of the Director of Children’s Services on developments in relation to the work of the Religious Education Council, RE Research and other key national and local RE matters.

Attachments:

Document Report - Key National and Local RE Matters 20 Feb 2023

Minutes SACRE received a report from the Director of Children’s Services providing an overview of key national and local RE matters.

Members noted several initiatives funded by the Culham St Gabriel’s Trust, the largest grant giving body supporting RE. Members also noted The National RE Hubs Project, a national scheme to create a central website for LAs, universities, SACREs, Museums, ITT providers, RE groups and advisors across England and Wales.

Members received an overview of the Association of University Lecturers in RE (ALURE) efforts in relation to Secondary Initial Teacher Education, noting the current issues on recruitment. Members also received an update on the National Association of SACREs, the national body representing SACREs, and received details of its upcoming Conference and AGM.

Resolved:

That the SACRE notes the report.

8 South Central SACRE Hub

To receive a verbal report on behalf of the Director of Children’s Services on the activities of the South Central SACRE RE Hub.

Minutes SACRE received a verbal report from Justine Ball, County Subject Inspector on the activities of the South Central SACRE Hub, updating members on discussions from their recent meeting.

These included a discussion on approaches to diversity and on how this can be embedded and a look at the census results for each area. There was also consideration of recent ‘deep dive’ Ofsted inspections on RE and an ongoing exercise to improve websites, ensuring there were links to the current syllabus and online resources etc.

Resolved:

That SACRE note the verbal update on the activities of the South Central SACRE Hub.

9 Task and Finish Working Group Proposal

To consider a report in relation to establishing a Task and Finish Working Group to review the current Constitution for SACRE.

Attachments:

Document Report - SACRE Task and Finish Working Group Proposal 20 Feb 2023
Document Annex A - SACRE Task and Finish Working Group Proposal 20 Feb 2023

Minutes SACRE received a report from the Director of People and Organisation proposing the creation of a Task and Finish Working Group to review the current Constitution for the SACRE. It was noted that the review of the Constitution was currently overdue and that a smaller group to review the Constitution in detail was considered the best way for it to be updated.

This group would meet ahead of the next SACRE meeting and feedback at that time. Any proposed change to the Constitution would be agreed by the full meeting of SACRE at this point and approved by the Executive Member for Education.

In response to questions members found that:

·         The Task and Finish Working Group would be fully supported by Officers of Hampshire County Council’s Children’s Services department, alongside members of both Democratic and Member Services and Legal Services.

SACRE adjourned for a short period to consider the recommendations in their groups, before returning to agree the recommendations with the addition of a co-opted member of SACRE to the group’s membership.

Resolved:

That the SACRE initiate a Task and Finish Working Group as a sub-committee of SACRE to review the current Constitution for SACRE in line with all relevant legislation, in particular the Education Act 1996, Sections 390-397.

That the SACRE approve the Terms of Reference for this Task and Finish Working Group as set out in Annex A, with the addition of the inclusion of a co-opted member of SACRE within its membership.

That the SACRE appoint members to the Task and Finish Working Group in accordance with the Terms of Reference as follows:

Group A                                 Chris Hughes

Group B                                 Reverend Jeff Williams

Group C                                 Jon Hamer

Group D                                 Cllr Chris Donnelly

Co-Opted Members               Chris Robinson

10 Any Other Business

To receive any other business from Members of SACRE.

Minutes It was noted that SACRE had been asked for volunteers to lead on a moment of reflection or prayer scheduled ahead of an upcoming meeting of the full County Council. If anyone would be interested in this, please contact Justine Ball.

11 Date, Time and Venue of next meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 4 July 2023.

Minutes The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Tuesday 4 July 2023 at 2:00pm. It was noted that the summer SACRE meeting has previously been at a suitable school, however the venue was still to be confirmed

Previous Meetings

28th Jan 2025