Agenda item

·        Schools whose self-evaluation reports are outstanding issued with a reminder.

·        Religious Education Website (Copy attached)

·        GwE Support

·        Estyn report on Religious Education in Secondary Schools issued to schools on 5^th September (Copy attached)

·        Review of National Curriculum Subjects

•           The Education Officer reminded Members as per the discussion at the previous meeting that the Anglesey SACRE body had historically reserved the right to appoint a Chairperson from among the LEA’s representatives on the body and that the LEA had traditionally exercised its right to make the appointment. The Officer informed the SACRE that in the period since the previous meeting, Councillor Dylan Rees had been appointed to undertake that function and he introduced Councillor Rees to the SACRE as its new Chair.

Members of the SACRE unanimously endorsed the appointment.

•           With reference to the two schools whose RE self-evaluation reports remained outstanding at the previous meeting, the Education Officer said that despite several requests for the information, the reports of Ysgol Pentraeth and Ysgol y Fali had yet to be received. He suggested that a letter be sent to the Chairs of the Governing Body of the respective schools. Members of the SACRE were in concurrence with this suggestion given that the information was essential for the body to carry out its monitoring responsibilities and having taking into consideration the fact that previous requests for the reports had been made.

Action Arising: Education Officer to write to the respective Chairs of the Governing Bodies of Ysgol Pentraeth and Ysgol y Fali about the availability of their RE self-evaluation reports and why their provision is important to the fulfilment of the SACRE’s duties as a monitoring body.

•           The Education Officer confirmed that information regarding access to the RE News website had been provided to the SACRE’s Members and to other relevant personnel. Miss Bethan James, Systems Leader asked Members to share any information about local projects and good or innovative practices of which they might be aware so that these might be more widely disseminated.

•           The Education Officer confirmed that the arrangements agreed at the previous meeting whereby the SACRE would request school self-evaluation reports on a cyclical basis both in the primary and secondary sectors had been put into effect and that the self-evaluation report of Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern was the first secondary report received under the new system as included on the agenda.

•           In relation to the provision of support for the SACRE, the Education Officer informed Members that the LEA has held discussions with the GwE with the outcome that 3 days per term of the Systems Leader’s time will be made available to the SACRE. The support provided will take on the form of guidance, specialist input and reports to the SACRE but will not include undertaking visits to schools. The issue of support has been raised and taken forward at the North Wales level because of the statutory basis of the SACRE body. Miss Bethan James, Systems Leader said that she would be providing administrative support to the SACRE in the main although a request has been made that she continue in her representative role at meetings of the WASACRE. Due to the change in the nature of the support to be provided and the loss of the advisory input to schools by Cynnal, consideration needs to be given to how RE teachers will in future support themselves in their own professional development within the subject area. Consequently it will also fall to the SACRE as a body to advise the LEA in terms of facilitating a process whereby RE teachers can come together to refine and develop their skills and expertise.

•           The Education Officer confirmed that the Estyn report of Religious Education in secondary schools has been circulated to the Island’s 5 secondary schools as per the SACRE’s request at its previous meeting.

•           With regard to the review of National Curriculum subjects, the Education Officer informed the SACRE that the Welsh Government is until 17th January, 2014 consulting on proposals for a revised curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales. The curriculum comprises of 11 subjects with RE as an additional statutory subject. This exercise represents the first phase of a two stage process and focuses on improving the teaching of literary and numeracy skills across the Curriculum whilst the second phase will relate to the Curriculum content. The Officer explained that a new national Literacy and Numeracy Framework (covering Years 2 to 9) was introduced some time ago and that the first phase of the consultation seeks to better align the LNF and the Curriculum so that all subjects across the National Curriculum (and RE) provide opportunities to improve and develop literacy and numeracy skills. Miss Bethan James said that the indications at present are that RE will not be included in the second phase consultation on the review of the Curriculum on the grounds that the RE is not a curricular subject and that the RE syllabus is a matter for local SACRE bodies. However, discussions regarding this matter are on-going and RE Teachers are keen that the subject should reflect developments in other parts of the Curriculum. She said that she and her former humanities advisors who continue to support SACRE bodies have agreed to meet on 6th January to discuss and formulate a response to the first phase of the Welsh Government’s consultation on behalf of the Wales RE Advisory Panel. She said that any observations which the SACRE’s Members might have on the matter would be welcome.

In response to questions by the SACRE in relation to what the consultation might mean for standards, Miss Bethan James explained the background to the Welsh Government’s emphasis on improving literacy and numeracy skills including questions raised around the consistency and validity of teacher assessments at KS3; questions around continuity between the primary and secondary sectors and the suggestion that Welsh school pupils are not achieving to the levels they might in the context of PISA tests because of weaker literacy and numeracy skills. The Secondary Teachers’ representative highlighted what in practical terms the focus on developing literacy and numeracy skills has meant following the introduction of the LNF in terms of trying to apply those skills to subjects such as RE meaning that there is less attention given to the subject content although the standard of the end work might be better. The dilemma is around balancing the requirements of the LNF and improved literacy and numeracy standards against the completion of subject modules.

Since the SACRE felt it was not in a position to provide a formal response to the consultation at this meeting and in view of the fact that the body would not meet again until after the closing date for response, the Systems Leader suggested that feedback from the RE Advisory Panel’s meeting on the 6th January be provided to the Education Officer to allow a response to be made by Anglesey. The Officer said that the question is - in the event of the establishment of a curriculum review group, does the SACRE want RE to be part of that provision or to remain as a separate stand-alone subject. Members of the SACRE believed it was important that Religious Education is included in discussions around a curricular review and that that view is made known ahead of the second phase consultation.

It was agreed that RE as a subject be included in discussions in preparation for the second phase of the Welsh Government consultation on Curricular content.

Action Arising: Systems Leader to provide the Education Officer with information on the outcome of the deliberations of the RE Advisory Panel from its meeting on 6th January, 2014.