Agenda item

Report No. DCYP11027

Members considered the draft development plan which had been drawn up with due consideration to the statutory duties of SACRE which are to:

·  require the LA to review the locally agreed syllabus at least every five years;

·  produce an annual report, to be distributed to schools and interested parties, to NASACRE and as directed by education department;

·  advise on matters relating to teaching methods, the choice of teaching material and the provision of training for teachers in RE and collective worship.

 A few minor typographical errors were pointed out in the development plan and details were passed to the SACRE clerk for amendment.

Members noted the following comments on the SACRE budget which had been submitted by Dr George Searle:

  In the light of the rapidly worsening financial position of Councils and the proposed changes to National Curriculum, examinations and requirements on SACRE within the Education Bill 2011 introduced to Parliament, the following proposals for the SACRE budget have been made:

(i)  For the financial year 2011/12 leave unchanged at 2010/11 level the budget for support of the SACRE.

(ii)  Undertake a review of support to the SACRE (with the aim of reducing or containing future funding for support) during Summer/Autumn 2011.

(iii)  New budget proposals for forthcoming year(s) (2012/13 – 2015/16) to be presented at the SACRE meeting in February 2012.

 Members were unaware of proposed changes in the Education Bill relating to the requirements on SACREs and asked for further clarification. The RE Adviser and Diocesan Adviser commented that there were no proposed changes to the requirements on SACRE in the Education Bill. SACRE Members wished to know who would be involved with the proposed review of funding for support to SACRE, and if SACRE would be involved with the review. The Chairman agreed to contact George Searle to seek further clarification on these matters.

Jan Thompson, Diocesan Adviser, informed the meeting that it had been necessary for the Religious Education Centre located at Bishop Justus School to vacate the premises, as the school had reached capacity and run out of space. The RE Centre had been established ten years ago to support RE and collective worship. Originally a joint Bromley/Diocesan project it moved out of the Education Development Centre after six years to be accommodated at Bishop Justus School. Throughout all this time it had been opened on Wednesdays to offer advice, resources and in-service training. The Diocesan Adviser was there most Wednesdays but it also relied heavily on voluntary help. Consultation had taken place with the local authority and with SACRE through its Chair and RE Adviser, but alternative suitable premise were unable to be found. In the circumstances the RE resources had been distributed as follows:

• The RE Resource Boxes had been shared between the EDC and Bennett Memorial Diocesan School in Tunbridge Wells

• Collective Worship Books had been taken by Spinnaker trust on behalf of Bromley SACRE, to support assemblies in Bromley community schools

• RE Books - Primary books had been taken to Bennett Memorial Diocesan School in Tunbridge Wells. Secondary books had been retained at Bishop Justus School

• Early Years Resources had been  taken to St George’s CE Primary School in Wrotham

• Bromley SACRE materials were being looked after by the RE Adviser.

SACRE Members were disappointed to note that alternative premises for the RE Centre had not been found. The Diocesan Adviser further commented that the RE Centre was originally a joint Bromley/Diocesan project with the Diocese providing the manpower and LB Bromley providing the accommodation. When the RE Centre moved to Bishop Justus School the Local Authority made an agreement with the Diocese to pay for services and office support, as the LA had benefited by  gaining use of the room at the EDC. However, the Diocesan Adviser understood that the payments had not been made and the Local Authority had now said that there were no funds available. Members expressed concern about the loss of the RE Centre and requested that the Chairman contact George Searle to ask about the future of an RE Centre for the Borough, and to clarify the positionregarding the Local Authority agreement with the Diocese.

RESOLVED that

(i)  Members note the achievements of the development plan for 2010;

(ii)  Members adopt the draft development plan for 2011;

(iii)  The Chairman to seek further clarification as detailed above, regarding the Education Bill 2011, the proposed review of SACRE support and the agreement between the Local Authority and the Diocese relating to the RE Centre.