Agenda item

To present the minutes of the previous meeting of the SACRE held on 13th March, 2013.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the SACRE held on 13th March, 2013 were presented and confirmed as correct.

Matters arising –

•           The Education Officer referred to the three primary schools whose Religious Education self-evaluation documents were outstanding from the previous meeting and he informed the Members that Ysgol Penysarn’s self-evaluation (tabled at the meeting) had now been received. He explained briefly that it is through scrutiny of RE self-evaluation reports which the Island’s schools are asked to provide that the SACRE body fulfils its advisory function in relation to Religious Education standards and the quality of collective worship. However, the self-evaluation reports of Ysgol y Fali and Ysgol Pentraeth  remain outstanding. The Officer said that in addition, the self-evaluations reports of Ysgol Gynradd Llanbedrgoch and Ysgol Tywyn which schools had been the subject of inspection in the Autumn, 2012 term have been received and are presented as part of the matters arising documentation. As has been the pattern previously there is some variation in the quality and contents of the information presented by the schools in question in terms of their self-evaluations with only one of the schools adopting the Ysgol Corn Hir model.

The Vice-Chair emphasised that it is essential that the SACRE is provided with this information as the only means currently whereby the body is able to discharge its monitoring responsibilities. The Education Officer said that whilst he would continue to pursue the matter with the two schools whose self-evaluations had not yet been received, he believed there were mitigating circumstances in relation to why the reports had not been made available to the SACRE this time which he explained  to Members.

The SACRE’s Members noted the information and the position in relation to the two schools whose self-evaluations remained outstanding.

Action Arising: The Education Officer to continue to make enquiries regarding the self-evaluation reports not yet made available to the SACRE.

•           The Education Officer drew Members’ attention to the response of the Chief Inspector of Estyn to correspondence sent to her following the previous meeting of the SACRE to highlight inaccuracies in the Inspector’s report regarding Ysgol y Tywyn in relation to the use of terminology which the SACRE had noted. In her reply, the Chief Inspector makes reference to Estyn’s supplementary guidance for inspectors in relation to collective worship and to the distinction made in the guidance between collective worship and morning assembly and to the fact that morning assembly may incorporate an act of collective worship. The guidance also addresses the relationship between collective worship and moral, spiritual, social and cultural development. Inspectors do not have to refer to collective worship in inspection reports unless the school in question does not conform to the statutory requirements in this respect or unless the school’s morning assemblies or act of collective worship contributes significantly to the pupils’ welfare. If an opinion is given in an inspection report it is important that the correct terms are used. The Chief Inspector invites the SACRE to bring to the inspection body’s attention any other reports in which in the light of the guidance, it believes there are anomalies and states that the supplementary guidance on inspecting collective worship will be amended to include a general question on the matter.

The SACRE’s Members noted the Chief Inspector’s response and the comments made.

Action Arising: The SACRE to continue to monitor inspection reports for consistency in the use of terminology.

•           The Education Officer presented for Members’ information, correspondence dated 14 June, 2013 from Trinity St David’s College publicising the launch of the Religious Education website for Wales as a bilingual resource for both primary and secondary schools. As reported to the SACRE’s meeting on 13th March the website replaces the RE News journal. The Officer went on to say that as a paying subscriber to the website the letter provides the Authority with access information and asks that it disseminates information about the website  to all parties involved with Religious Education including schools, advisors and SACRE members.

Miss Bethan James said that she would encourage teachers to contribute articles and information about projects and good practice to the website so they can be shared with other RE practitioners accessing the website. She added that there is particular scope for the website to reflect the Welsh curriculum and Welsh culture.

Action Arising: Education Officer to circulate information regarding the RE Wales website to the Island’s schools and relevant personnel.

•           The Education Officer drew the Members’ attention to information received from the Education Co-Ordinator Wales of Christian Aid regarding the organisation’s July assemblies and related activities along with the report of the Christians in Parliament Group entitled Faith in the Community.

The SACRE noted the information.