Agenda item

·      To present the draft Annual Report of the Anglesey SACRE for 2016/17.

·      To evaluate the Anglesey SACRE’s Action Plan.

The draft Annual Report by the Anglesey SACRE for 2016/17 was presented to the Authority for consideration. The Chair thanked Miss Bethan James, the Improvement Support Advisor (GwE) for her effort in preparing the report. The Annual Report summarises the work of this Committee during the past year.

The Improvement Support Advisor highlighted the following points from the report:

•  11 self-evaluation reports were submitted during the year, representing 21% of Anglesey schools, consistent with the number submitted during the past few years. However, there are schools who have not presented their self-evaluation reports following letters circulated to them on 1^st July, 2016, 23^rd January and 26^th September, 2017.

•  Nearly all schools reported that their standards, provision and Collective Worship were good. One school was very honest and reported that their standards and provision were adequate. It was noted that the school’s action points were fair and valid, and the SACRE appreciated the school’s willingness to share their plans with the Committee.

The Improvement Support Advisor summarised the main points that every school or group of schools have made. Trends have emerged this year due to the use of the tracking tool. Issues were identified that require further attention during the next two years.

Teachers intended to:-

•  ensure that pupils by the end of the Foundation Phase develop and understand the effect of religion on believers;

•  develop pupils’ reasoning skills as they discuss major religious questions;

•  develop pupils’ ability to analyse and interpret layers of meaning.

In relation to the provision of RE in schools, the SACRE identified good practices, which demonstrate the nature of experiences children encounter in schools. They include attending educational visits, focusing on questioning skills and carrying out filming work. The Improvement Support Advisor stated that it was good to see secondary school children in KS3 dealing with big, fundamental questions.

The SACRE noted that every school acknowledged that they understand the nature of Collective Worship and comply with the statutory requirements.

In the Improvement Support Advisor’s summary of recommendations for the Council, particular emphasis was placed on encouraging the Authority to help co-ordinators to improve RE outcomes in schools, and gain access to guidance and good practice.

With reference to external examination results, it was recommended that secondary school teachers continue to work together. Two Anglesey teachers, Mrs Mefys Edwards and Mrs Angharad Derham from Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, Amlwch are Lead Practitioners across the North, and have carried out excellent work co-ordinating teachers in Anglesey and Gwynedd specifically to work together to prepare for the new GCSE syllabus.

It was reported that there was very little information relating to RE in the Estyn Inspection reports. Only four Estyn reports have been submitted this year, three in the primary, and one in the secondary sector.

The SACRE’s Action Plan was presented for consideration and comment with particular reference to the SACRE’s achievement against the priorities and outcomes within the Action Plan. SACRE members agreed that Anglesey Education Department had made good progress in response to the priorities of the 2015-17 Action Plan. However, the SACRE have not been very pro-active in driving the agenda forward in relation to attending Collective Worship sessions in schools. It was therefore proposed and agreed that arrangements be made for four members of the SACRE to visit schools in different catchment areas to observe Collective Worship and report back to the Committee.

Action:

The Education Officer to target schools in different catchment areas and write to Head Teachers requesting that SACRE members be afforded the opportunity to attend Collective Worship sessions at their schools.

GCSE Religious Studies (update shared by SIA on behalf of Mrs Mefys Edwards)

Since September, bilingual resources to complement the new GCSE RS syllabus have been published on GwE’s website. RE teachers in Gwynedd and Anglesey have worked very hard on the project, and their efforts need to be praised. The teachers intend to continue with their work next year and produce material that goes with the course, and hope to provide guidelines for children on how to answer examination questions. Mrs Mefys Edwards had expressed concern that the textbooks to go with the new GCSE and ‘A’ Level courses are yet to be published in English, with the Welsh versions to follow.

The SACRE were pleased with outcomes in supporting secondary teachers as they prepare and deliver the new GCSE syllabus.

Anglesey SACRE Action Plan

The Improvement Support Advisor recommended that the SACRE keep their priorities for a period of one year to improve RE leadership, particularly in preparation for the new curriculum as schools in Wales respond to recommendations made by Professor Graham Donaldson in his report, ‘Successful Futures’.

Mr Rheinallt Thomas, the co-opted member, referred to how the RE curriculum is developing at present, and how the Assembly Government sees RE as relevant to the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience. It was noted that a group of representatives from pioneer schools will be outlining the principles of the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience curriculum to schools.

The Improvement Support Advisor gave an update on the Agreed Syllabus for RE. It was noted that the Anglesey SACRE and the Welsh Government have a good relationship when discussing Humanities issues.

The Welsh Government has commissioned external specialists to prepare papers on every subject. Ms Barbara Wintersgill has been commissioned to provide a paper on RE, particularly the big ideas of RE. Her themes are: continuity, change and diversity; words and beyond; a good life; making sense of life’s experiences; influence the community, culture and power, and the big picture.

The WASACRE has also been commissioned to produce an advisory paper for the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience group. The principles refer to the following three important issues in RE:-

•  awareness of life’s experiences and the questions arising from them;

•  teaching beliefs and practices;

•  personal exploration and response.

The WASACRE document refers to the contribution of RE to skills, such as literacy, numeracy and ICT, and includes suggestions on the enriching RE experiences a child could have at various times in school.

It was suggested that one SACRE meeting this academic year be replaced by a business meeting or workshop in order to prepare teachers and SACRE members for a revised locally agreed syllabus, and the SACRE’s views were sought on the proposal. Since the SACRE only met once a term, members felt they did not want to lose a meeting, and therefore, proposed that a workshop be held in the morning, and the Committee meeting in the afternoon.

Members of the SACRE welcomed the idea of a workshop as a way of moving forward, and sharing the good work carried out in Anglesey schools. Teachers would be invited to the workshop to discuss their views and their work. The consensus was that the SACRE adopts the workshop approach, to commence in Spring/Summer 2018.

The Chair proposed that a new Action Plan be drawn up for the next meeting to address any additional recommendations, and the SACRE agreed to the proposal.

Action:

•  The Education Officer to:-

• write to RE teachers in Anglesey schools thanking them for their contribution in preparing and delivering the new GCSE syllabus; and,
• write to Mrs Mefys Edwards thanking her for her excellent presentation at the WASACRE meeting.

•  The Improvement Support Advisor to prepare a new Action Plan for the SACRE’s next meeting.

•  The Improvement Support Advisor to arrange a workshop for the SACRE in Spring/Summer 2018.

It was agreed to accept the draft Annual Report of the Anglesey SACRE for 2016/17 subject to the above.