Agenda item

a) Presentation on ‘True Tube’ (a free internet resource for RE teachers)

b) Youth SACRE

c) SACRE Annual Report 2012 – 2013 (see attached)

d) Agreed Syllabus Launch

e) NASACRE Annual Conference

f)  Islamic Competition (see attached)

g) Multi Faith Partnership Event

a)  Presentation on ‘True Tube’

The Chairman welcomed Jessica Toogood, Marketing and Research Assistant for TrueTube; a free internet resource which can be used by schools.  Jessica gave  a presentation  on  the  website www.truetube.co.uk

which provides videos, lesson plans and assembly scripts for RE, PSHE and Citizenship at Key Stages 3 and 4. TrueTube was launched in 2007 by CTVC Ltd an independent British media company which is a registered charity and part of the Rank Foundation. Schools and youth groups are encouraged to upload films and post comments but everything is moderated before it appears on the site to ensure it is appropriate for school use. Students and teachers can register with the site and are given a password to use.

Jessica answered questions raised by SACRE Members, and advised that the TrueTube website aimed to be up to date and to identify areas of the RE curriculum which most need support. If any SACRE members had ideas about what further RE resources are needed they were invited to email Jessica at the following address: jessica@truetube.co.uk

The RE Adviser remarked that TrueTube had been mentioned as a resources in the new Bromley RE Syllabus. The Chairman thanked Jessica for her presentation and she was invited to stay for the rest of the meeting.

b)  Youth SACRE

It had been hoped that the virtual film of St. Nicholas Church made by the Youth SACRE could be shown at the meeting; however this would not now be possible.  Fiona Hawkes, the teacher involved with Youth SACRE, said she hoped that Youth SACRE would be able to continue, however the RE Adviser advised that she might not be able to support this in future due to the financial cutbacks and the reduction in the number of working days allocated to her post. She would discuss this further with Fiona Hawkes outside of the meeting.

c)  SACRE Annual Report 2012-2013

The annual report had been distributed to SACRE Members, the Director and Assistant Director of Education, the Portfolio Holder for Education, Members of the Education Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee, libraries, Bromley schools and NASACRE. The Chairman had also written to Michael Gove MP, enclosing a copy of the SACRE Annual Report 2012-2013, (together with a CD of the new RE Syllabus). A reply from the Department for Education had been received confirming that these had been passed to the relevant team at the DfE.

With regard to the RE examination results included in the Annual Report, SACRE Members were pleased to note the increase in the number of students taking the full course in RE. There had been no movement in the number of candidates taking the short course and the RE Adviser said that this was being phased out. Two teacher representatives, Fiona Hawkes and Jed Stone, commented that one of the key issues was that the short course in RE was not a performance measure.  In answer to a question from Councillor Adams, Jed Stone confirmed that it was possible for students to take both the

short and full RE course and often students took the short RE course before entering year 11.

d)  Agreed Syllabus Launch

The agreed syllabus launch had taken place at the Civic Centre in Bromley on 20^th November 2013. The event had been very successful and was attended by the Mayor of Bromley, together with Martin Sweet the previous Chairman of SACRE who spoke on the importance of RE in the 21^st Century. A CD of the new syllabus was given to representatives from the Bromley schools (including academies) who attended the event.

A copy of the CD was subsequently sent to the schools which were unable to attend the event. The new syllabus was also put on the Bromley Council website. It was suggested that a letter about the new syllabus should be emailed to the independent schools in the borough, incorporating a link to the RE syllabus on the website. The RE Adviser agreed to draft a letter for the SACRE clerk to send. (Action - PSO)

The RE Adviser said that since the launch of the new syllabus there had been one network meeting at which discussion had taken place on how the new syllabus was progressing. She advised that on 12^th June 2014 there would be a training course on the new syllabus for RE co-ordinators.

SACRE Members thanked the RE Adviser for the considerable work she had undertaken in the production of the new RE syllabus.

e)    NASACRE AGM

This was due to take place in London on 22^nd May 2014. It was hoped that the RE Adviser and Rev Roger Bristow would be able to attend, subject to funds in the SACRE budget being available.

f)   Islamic Competition

SACRE Members received a report from Mr Mahmood on this very successful event. The prize giving had taken place at Darul Uloom on Thursday 7^th November 2013. The RE Adviser said that it had been a very encompassing event and Jed Stone, one of the teacher representatives on SACRE, remarked that it had been a wonderful evening. Those who attended were warmly welcomed and the parents and students who attended had been very complimentary. The Islamic Competition helped to build up good relationships and the Chairman thanked Mr Mahmood for organising the event.

The next Prize Giving Event of the Islamic Competition would be held at Darul Uloom on 13^th November 2014. Further details would be circulated at a later date.

g)  Multi Faith Partnership Event

SACRE Members had been invited to this event which took place at the Civic Centre on 10^th March 2014. The event was publicised as a “Multifaith Partnership Approach to Major Incidents in Bromley” and was designed to be a workshop for representatives of the faith communities in LB Bromley. The Chairman, RE Adviser and Mr Mahmood attended the event which had been organised by LB Bromley, the Safer Bromley Partnership, Bromley Community Engagement Forum and the Ethnic Communities Programme. 

Mr Mahmood commented on the powerful speech and excellent presentation which had been given by Dr Anne Eyre. However, he had been disappointed as he felt the event had concentrated more on businesses in the community rather than faith involvement. Mr Mahmood felt that there should be clear communication in case of major incidents/disasters as to who had a role to play in respect of the different faith groups.  Councillor Jefferys remarked that as part of emergency planning for major incidents it was a requirement that there should be faith involvement. The Chairman said she would take Mr Mahmood’s comments back to the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Safety.