a) Youth SACRE
b) Launch of RE Review
c) London SACRE meeting
d) SACRE Annual Report 2012-2013
e) Islamic Competition
Minutes:
a) Youth SACRE
The RE Adviser reported that unfortunately the teacher involved with the Youth SACRE had been unwell and it had not been possible to arrange a meeting of the Youth SACRE during the Autumn term. It was hoped that the virtual film of St Nicholas’ Church made by the Youth SACRE could be shown to SACRE Members at their next meeting.
b) Launch of RE Review
The RE Review report on Religious Education in England was published by the Religious Education Council of England and Wales in October 2013, following eighteen months of development work and consultation.
The full report includes the curriculum framework, a discussion of the wider context for RE and a series of questions to inform future work and development, as well as the recommendations of the Expert Panel report. The Review can be accessed on the following link:
http://resubjectreview.recouncil.org.uk/re-review-report
Mr Mahmood asked if the report had any impact on the new Bromley Agreed Syllabus for RE. He was informed by the RE Adviser that there were no clashes, and reference had been made in the Bromley Syllabus to the aims of RE outlined in the Review. In answer to a question from the Assistant Director for Education and Care Services, the RE Adviser said that she had been with the designer earlier that day putting together the final touches to the new Bromley RE Syllabus which was being produced on a CD. This would shortly be emailed to the Director for Education and Care Services for him to endorse.
c) London SACRE meeting
The RE Adviser informed SACRE Members that the London SACRE meeting usually took place once a year. A meeting was due to have been held on 4th December 2013, but had been cancelled; a meeting might be arranged during the spring of 2014.
d) SACRE Annual Report 2012-2013
The RE Adviser would obtain details of the RE examination results and incorporate these in the SACRE Annual Report for 2012 – 2013, which would be completed by the 31st December 2013. (This would be distributed to SACRE Members, the Director and Assistant Director of Education, the Education Portfolio Holder, Members of the Education Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee, libraries, schools and NASACRE.) The Department of Education did not wish to receive these statutory reports but a copy of the previous years report had been sent to the Secretary of State for Education. It was suggested that perhaps the 2012-2013 report should also be sent to him with a covering letter. The Chairman said she would review the reply which had been received from Michael Gove MP and would consider the matter further.
e) Islamic Competition
The prize giving for the Islamic Competition would take place at Darul Uloom from 6.30pm to 9pm on Thursday 7th November 2013. Mr Mahmood outlined the programme for the evening and showed SACRE Members examples of some of the work which had been submitted. The Competition was for Key Stage 3 pupils and the following five schools had taken part: Bullers Wood, Langley Park Boys, Coopers Technology College, Harris Academy (Bromley), and Farringtons Independent School. All SACRE Members were invited to the prize giving and were asked to inform Mr Mahmood if they wished to attend. (Details had previously been circulated to SACRE Members).