Agenda item

To consider on behalf of the Director of Children’s Services the Interim Report of the Commission on RE.

The Council considered and discussed the Interim Report from The Commission on RE. (Item 9 in the Minute Book).  An abridged version of the consultation questionnaire was provided to Members to aid discussion.

The County Inspector/Adviser began by reminding the Council that the Commission was a high profile independent commission with a remit to make recommendations to the government which would be designed to improve the quality and rigour of RE and its capacity to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. She hoped that Members had had the opportunity to have read the Executive Summary to the Report prior to the meeting.  It was indicated that the Chairman would be sending a response on behalf of SACRE based on the meeting’s presentation and subsequent discussions. 

The Inspector/Adviser took each of the five key areas that were being consulted on in turn – a national entitlement for RE, strengthening schools’ accountability for RE, a renewed and expanded role for SACREs, the right to withdraw and a National Plan for RE.

Members were reminded that RE had been locally determined since the 1970.  Local determination gave the opportunity for a syllabus to be developed based on a region’s individual demography. Some Members thought it would be difficult to get a national agreement on what should be included in this national entitlement. There would also be the question of how it would it be monitored.  It was suggested that it would be better to have a mechanism for recognising existing high quality agreed syllabi.  A national entitlement for RE would possibly be unnecessary for authorities like Hampshire, that were already meeting their responsibilities for RE.

On strengthening schools’ accountability for the provision and quality of RE it was put forward that Ofsted already has a mechanism to do this.  However, recent investigation of Ofsted reports by the Monitoring Group had shown  that the comments given varied and did not comment on how the provision met the requirements of the agreed syllabus.

A proposed renewed and expanded role for SACREs in supporting and resourcing RE was supported.  The Inspector/Adviser suggested that an effective SACRE has certain characteristics, notably the provision of a clerk from the local authority to service the SACRE, a trained SACRE adviser who can also facilitate CPD for teachers, active participation from elected members of the local authority, and local authority support to ensure monitoring meetings and visits to schools happen. 

On the question of securing funding for SACREs it was felt this would be very complex to arrange.  It might be better to outline to local authorities a minimum requirement in terms of support for SACRE, such as those available in Hampshire. 

It was felt that the recommendation that SACREs should have a role in promoting community relations needed further clarification.  Hampshire SACRE’s advice document to schools relating to dress and absence could be regarded as related to promoting community relations.

Justine Ball, one of the inspector/advisers, would be presenting the findings of the two withdrawal surveys that she has carried out to the Commissioners as they have no other information to look at.  She reminded Members that both surveys had shown only a very small number of children had been withdrawn from part or all of RE.  The commission report suggests that the withdrawal of ‘the right to withdraw’ is probably not straightforward.

In relation to the proposed National Plan to improve teaching and learning in RE it was noted that this might be similar to the national plan for PE and, therefore, money may be available.  The recommendation that all teachers should have a statutory number of hours for RE on primary and secondary training courses was welcomed, since on some primary courses teachers may have only one or even none. On the question of whether RE should be compulsory until the age of 16 or remain at 18, it was noted that it was difficult, on a practical level, to have compulsory RE in sixth form colleges. Because of this Hampshire SACRE would suggest it should be compulsory until 16.   It was put forward that engagement with parents, to convince them of the value and importance of religious education, was vital.

One member speaking about the report in general felt that it was full of buzz words and political correctness and that if the Commission recommended following thepaths proposed it would end up in a minefield for the teaching profession and with a subject that doesn’t have the word ‘religion’ in it.

The Inspector/Advisor informed Members that originally the Commission was a two year piece of work reporting at the end of 2018 in time for the government to take action before the next election, but due to the 2017 election this might now change.  However, she felt that it was recognised within the DfE that changes need to be made.

The Inspector/Adviser said the intention of her presentation and subsequent discussion had been to ensure Members were able to make their own response in a measured way and to show the response that the Chairman would make on SACRE’s behalf. 

All Members were again encouraged to make their own personal response to the Interim report to the Commission.

RESOLVED:

·         That SACRE noted the report.

·         That SACRE members were encouraged to make a personal response to the Commission on RE Interim Report before the deadline.

·         That SACRE approved that the Chair of SACRE should write to the Commission on RE in response to the matters open for consultation on behalf of Hampshire SACRE.