To discuss visits made and the pro forma.

(Guidance documentation by WASACRE and by Estyn with regard to non-denominational schools attached)

Consideration was given by the SACRE to collective visits made by Members and to a proposed pro forma for recording those visits which the GwE Challenge Adviser presented in a visual presentation.

Councillor Gwilym O. Jones gave an informative account of his visits to Ysgol y Fali and to Ysgol y Tywyn to observe the collective worship practices at those two schools which on the occasion of his visits, had been based on the themes of giving thanks and the worldwide family, and on friendship respectively.

The GwE Challenge Adviser referred to the collective worship context and to the SACRE’s duties as the responsible body to monitor collective worship in those schools in its area to ensure that schools conform to the statutory requirement to provide a daily act of collective worship for all learners. She said that members of the SACRE have indicated their willingness to fulfil that duty by scrutinising schools’ RE self-evaluation reports which contain a section on collective worship and by undertaking visits to schools and that they have been provided with guidance by WASACRE and by Estyn to assist them in that task. The purpose of the pro forma is to provide a consistent and systematic way in which the SACRE’s members can record their visits and provide observations thereon. She proposed that the pro forma include provision by way of a tick box for recording the following aspects –

•           The type of collective worship session observed;

•           Those contributing to and leading the session;

•           The length of the session;

•           The theme(s) on which the session was based;

•           Whether religious persons from the local community were invited to contribute;

•           Whether prayer formed part of the session or whether Biblical or moral stories were told or whether hymns were sung;

•           What 3 statements in the observer’s view best describe the collective worship session observed (a series of statements to be provided)

The SACRE welcomed the pro forma as a means of providing an uncomplicated framework within which its Members can provide feedback on their collective worship visits in a uniform and non-judgemental way with the proviso that a section be added for “any other comments,” and it was agreed that it be trialled on that basis. It was also suggested that the matter be raised with schools and that that be done via the primary and secondary strategic groups to obtain their support for the proposed reporting process. The Teachers’ representatives on the SACRE confirmed that they were comfortable with the proposal on the understanding that schools are informed of the pro forma’s purpose and how it is to be used.

The SACRE considered how the information on the completed  pro forma should be shared and, following discussion, it was agreed as follows –

•           That the information be made available to schools and that it is the responsibility of the SACRE member who has made the collective worship visit to provide the school with a copy of the completed pro forma.

•           That in forwarding the pro forma to the Primary Education Officer (for submission to the SACRE body) the SACRE member should indicate whether or not the school has been made party to the information or alternatively he/she should arrange for the Primary Education to forward the information to the school.

It was agreed –

•           To accept the proposed pro forma for recording collective worship visits to schools as presented by the GwE Challenge Adviser with the addition of a section for any other comments.

•           That the information be shared on the lines proposed.

ACTIONS ARISING:

•           GwE Challenge Adviser to circulate the pro forma to the SACRE’s Members.

•           Primary Education Officer to make schools aware via the primary and secondary strategic groups, of the purpose of the pro forma and how it will be used.