Agenda item

SCHOOL VISITS

Minutes:

SACRE members visit local schools to observe collective worship and the teaching of Religious Education. On Wednesday 8th March 2017, the Chairman and Educational Advisor had visited Blenheim Primary School, along with SACRE members; Councillor Keith Onslow, Mrs Virginia Corbyn, Mr Arvinder Nandra and Reverend Steve Varney.

 

A further visit was undertaken by the Chairman and Educational Advisor to Langley Park School for Girls on Wednesday 24th May 2017, along with SACRE members; Mr Mahmood and Mr Nandra. A detailed report of the school visits and feedback received from Ravens Wood School and Blenheim Primary School was considered by SACRE members.

 

The Chairman and Educational Advisor said that attending the meetings of the Primary and Secondary Headteachers had allowed them to raise the profile of SACRE in their minds, and to reassure them of the processes that it followed. These occasions had also resulted in invitations to visit some schools.

 

The schools visited had shown a willingness to open up and share, which allowed SACRE members to observe that what they said was being delivered in terms of Religious Education, was actually happening and taking place effectively. It was important to acknowledge that in some schools, assemblies were a time for spiritual and moral reflection, which was not deemed as collective worship.

 

Blenheim Primary School allocated time for meditation throughout the school as an introduction to spirituality, and using a variation of the Agreed Syllabus, had shown good evidence of the curriculum. Religious Education in the school allowed positive encouragement for the children to ask questions, and not just the teacher delivering information. When the visit had been made to Langley Park School for Girls, the assembly had been used for the school to carry out its own version of a General Election, which had allowed students the opportunity to think through what mattered. Members considered that collective worship was not being delivered in the school as it should be. The Educational Advisor responded that the majority of school assemblies would be about morals and many schools had introduced moments of reflection to encourage students to think about a spiritual direction.

 

A discussion took place regarding school’s legal requirement to deliver collective worship and whether the SACRE could influence this. It was considered that as the majority of the boroughs secondary schools had separated themselves from the Local Authority and become academies, the legal requirement was still there, but there was no one to enforce it. The onus would be on the SACRE to press this point, and visits to the schools would concentrate minds. It was suggested that during visits, schools could be reminded about the Bromley SACRE guidance on collective worship, and a copy of the document could be left with the senior leadership team. This would be a way of reminding them of the expertise around the table, and that there were resources available if they wanted to improve their offer. Members considered that a letter should be sent to all schools at the beginning of the academic year, with which a copy of the collective worship document could be included. It could highlight that the SACRE had visited schools and observed the delivery of collective worship in an effective way, and would welcome further visits to see good practice, or discuss the challenges schools faced in being able to deliver. Members felt that SACRE was a body to offer support, which was an experience most schools would welcome if they knew it was available.    ACTION POINT: LBB Educational Advisor

 

The Chairman advised members that he had attended the Church Schools Festival at Rochester Cathedral. Cudham CE Primary School had taken part, and had invited SACRE members to visit the school the following term. Once further details were received, the clerk would circulate to members.

ACTION POINT: Chairman / Clerk

 

RESOLVED that:

 

(i)  the report of the visit to Blenheim Primary School and Langley Park School for Girls be noted.

(ii)  feedback regarding SACRE visits received from Ravens Wood School and Blenheim Primary School be noted.

(iii)  the Clerk to notify SACRE members of arrangements for school visits during the autumn term.

Supporting documents: