Agenda item

The Panel will consider the Annual Report for 2020-2021 from the Kirklees Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

Contact Officers:

Jo-Anne Sanders, Service Director (Learning and Early Support

Ian Ross, SACRE

Alastair Ross, Religious Education Consultation (Learning and Early Support)

The Panel considered theKirklees Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Annual Report for 2020 – 2021 presented by Mark Janes, Chair of Kirklees SACRE, which highlighted that:

• SACRE was a Statutory body and was responsible on behalf of the Local Authority for Religious Education (RE) within schools.
• Although RE was not part of the national curriculum, all children were entitled to RE being taught as part of the syllabus.
• It advised the Local Authority (LA) on all things concerning collective worship, school assemblies and on RE in line with the locally agreed syllabus which was set by SACRE and revised every 5 years.
• It monitored the effectiveness and appropriateness of the syllabus.
• 4 bodies made up the SACRE, which included the legacy of having an established church (Church of England), Councillors, Teachers and representative of other faith communities.
• Work was ongoing to increase the breath of representation within SACRE.
• RE helped with cohesion and was an integral part of children within the community.
• SACRE was a delegated body within the work of the Children’s scrutiny and needed the provision of a clerk.
• In 2020 – 2021 due to the pandemic, some elements of SACRE, including CPD (a training programme) for Teacher’s had to be administered online which brought challenge for faith communities.
• SACRE responded in partnership with the welcome school initiative and created virtual visits for children to places of worship which enabled leaders of faith communities to speak to many more children.
• In 2021, as well as regularly revising guidance to schools, SACRE widened its participation and shared in creating a hub across 5 boroughs in West Yorkshire and formed a group in relation to RSHE.
• A Sensitivity to Faith document was being developed, to help consider the needs and questions children may have in respect of faith and provided guidance on how education could be delivered whilst respecting faith.
• Well delivered RE fired up the imagination, curiosity and wonder of Children.

The Panel noted the various groups within the membership and asked a question regarding how the perspective and views of other faiths were considered who were not in the group. Ian Ross, Associate Learning Partner with responsibility for RE and SCARE responded and advised that SACRE sat within a national organisation, NASACRE (National Association of SACRE) where advice was sought from representatives of faith groups that were not represented in Kirklees. Ian Ross also advised that SACRE were members of the RE Council which represented all faiths and people of no faith who they could also go to for advice.

Mark Janes advised the Panel that SACRE was actively seeking to recruit members from other faith communities that were not currently represented and advised that Ian Ross had engaged in some work regarding the balance of overall teaching.

The panel highlighted the poor attendance and questioned whether there had been an issue in terms of encouraging people to attend.  The Panel also asked about the funding formulas and whether Kirklees was honouring its funding, which appeared slight in terms of importance. Mark Janes responded in relation to poor attendance and advised that colleagues in the Church of England could step up to their responsibility and there were other forums where the issue could be raised. Mark Janes further explained that as in person meetings had resumed, they could become more topical and raise participation.

Ian Ross further added that 4 councillors had been appointed to SACRE and traditionally attendance had been low. Ian suggested having an alternative representative would be helpful.

Ian Ross advised the Panel that in relation to funding, the recommended amount was 2% of the CSSB (annual budget that was available to Local Authorities). A freedom of information request sent to all Local Authorities highlighted Kirklees was near the top, nearly at the 2% mark. Ian advised that there were other creative ways to raise funds.

Councillor Marchington highlighted the need to encourage people who might be interested in SACRE to attend, including those people with links to communities of different faith or who have other world views, who could make a positive contribution.

The Panel acknowledged Relationship, Health and Sex Education (RSHE) was valuable in ensuring appropriate and quality education, and that there was a need for a varied and balanced view which SACRE helped with.

Councillor Marchington highlighted that the message from SACRE was about the importance of healthy relationships and promoting that, which would equip children and young people to view relationships in a positive context.

The Panel highlighted the virtual visits and agreed it would be good for this to happen in a variety of places of worship, acknowledging that in terms of capturing children and young people’s interests, what they can see is more attractive than what they are told or can hear.

The Panel highlighted the membership and number of vacancies, and that the most concerning vacancies were primary school and secondary school teachers.

In response to a question by the Panel regarding the difficulty in relation to filling the vacancies, Ian Ross advised that Headteachers had been spoken to personally with an incentive to have resources for free, and meetings could be accommodated locally. The Panel was informed that there were a few Headteachers who had agreed to take this matter to the Heads Forum to consider who could be responsible and join the meetings. Mark Janes added that attendance seemed slightly better when there was a specific task relating to schools. Jo-Anne Sanders agreed to speak with constituent groups. Jo-Anne acknowledged the past couple of years had been difficult for Headteachers but that this was a real opportunity to shape, link up and secure representation.

RESOLVED:

The Panel noted the Kirklees Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Annual Report 2020 – 2021 and thanked Mark Janes, Ian Ross and Jo-Anne Sanders for their contributions.