Agenda and minutes

Apolgies for absence were received from:

Group A: Mr K Ranganathan, Ms J Stonhold (Chair), Mr N Kielczewski,  Major D Taylor and Rev R Allaway for whom Rev Stephen Agilinko was substituting.

Group C: Ms N Parmar and Ms S Kambalu.

Group D:  Cllr E Jones and Cllr L Santry.

(i)                 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2006.

(ii)               Matters Arising   

                  Analysis of Exam Results

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2006 were approved.

Matters Arising:

SACRE05      Denise Chaplin advised that further information had been          submitted onto the annual report and distributed.

SACRE09      Denise Chaplin informed Members the feedback provided was            considered to be very useful.

The Clerk informed the meeting that Rev Allaway had resigned and was replaced by Rev Stephen Agilinko.  The Committee requested that a membership report be provided by the Clerk to the next meeting detailing members attendance. 

RESOLVED

That an updated report on SACRE’s membership and attendance be provided to the next meeting.

To receive a progress report.

Denise Chaplin advised the Committee that negiotiations for the Agreed Syllabus purchase had now been completed.  Several working parties had been held for Hinduism and Christianity.  A further date of 25 April 2007 had also been agreed to work on the key stage 2 Hinduism syllabus.  There would now be a need to hold two or three further Agreed Syllabus Conferences to agree the recent changes to individual sections of the syllabus.

The corporate design team had been provided with a brief to produce a folder for the Haringey Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.  Two designs had been produced which the committee was requested to consider.  The first design a leaflet was considered not to be reflective of Haringey as it portrayed a rural environment.  The second had moved Haringey to the coast showing a coastline image, again not reflective of the character of Haringey. The Committee agreed that they be rejected.  Ms Chaplin stated that she had requested the design team to produce further designs in the following week which were to be classy, tranquil, inclusive and not offensive to any faith community but reflective of Haringey.

A map of Haringey showing the places of worship was tabled for members to agree to include in the folder.  However, the Committee concluded the map was too congested and suggested that a new map be produced separated in to the following areas; Crouch End, Highgate, Hornsey, Muswell Hill, Tottenham and Wood Green.  The map should also demonstrate the diversity of the religions practised in the borough and should therefore use symbols of the faiths.

The Committee were reminded that the launch of the Haringey agreed syllabus for RE was Tuesday 25 September 2007, in the afternoon.  Mr John Keast, Deputy Chair of the RE Council of England and Wales would be the key note speaker and that Sharon Shoesmith would also be in attendance.

RESOLVED

1. That the tabled designs on the folder for the Haringey Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education be rejected.
2. That further designs be produced of the folder and leaflet for the Haringey Agreed Syllabus for RE and that they be reflective of Haringey.
3. That a new map showing the places of worship be produced showing the areas and using faith symbols. 

SACRE is asked to consider and comment/input and agree the newsletter for distribution to schools

Denise Chaplin presented the item and explained that this was an information item.  This year the Reep Garden Award 2007 focused on three areas:

• Faith Gardens
• Gardens and the arts
• Curriculum development

The closing date for receipt of entries was 31 May 2007.  The award ceremony would be held on 9 July 2007.  Further details could be found on their website: www.reep.org/index.php

The 2007 ‘Art in Heaven’ Competition run by Spirited Arts was open to all pupils aged 5-19 years and each school was entitled to send in up to eight entries.  The web gallery for the 2003, 4, 5 and 6 competitions showed examples of winning entries and could be found at: www.pcfre.org.uk/spiritedarts

Members were requested to view the website and to encourage entries from schools in Haringey.

RESOLVED

That the Newsletter be approved for publishing to go on the Haringey Website.

To receive a presentation by Denise Chaplin.

Denise Chaplin explained to the Committee that the Curriculum review had started with the non statutory framework for RE and that other subjects had been formulated so that they had similar sections to RE.  One or two parts of the RE sections were new and proposed revised sections, e.g. RE and the Every Child Matters agenda.  However, it was very positive that this time RE was included and no changes to the Non Statutory Framework had been proposed.  Concern had been raised in some RE discussions that the proposals to bring subjects together might lead to less coherence if RE was merged into other lessons.

Members were urged to view the site in detail, particularly for RE and requested to complete the online consultation survey before 30 April 2007.

RESOLVED

That members complete the online consultation survey by 30 April 2007 www.qca.org.uk/secondarycurriculumreview/

The  Committee was informed by Denise Chaplin that this was the only type of data SACRE had regarding standards of RE in schools apart from public examination results.  It was a national concern of SACREs that Ofsted reports did not detail standards in RE.  The RE Self Evaluation Framework was not nationally promoted. It had been agreed that this project be piloted in Haringey in partnership with Hounslow across 10 schools within each of the Boroughs to assess its usefulness.

The results of the project detailed data that could be analysed in different ways.  There were three versions within the report:

• Haringey’s responses
• Hounslow’s responses
• Shared responses

Ms Chaplin informed Members that those teachers who had taken part in the survey had responded positively in respect of carrying out the survey.  The report recommended that an online facility should be established for use by individual schools nationally.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

To receive details of the AGM meeting.  Newsletter to be tabled.

The Committee received details of the NASACRE Annual General meeting to be held on Tuesday 8 May 2007 10:00am – 3:30pm in Birmingham.  Keynotes speakers would include Professor Brian Gates, Chair of RE Council and Rev Nims Obunge, Freedom’s Ark Church in Haringey and CEO of The Peace Alliance.

Denise Chaplin informed the meeting that she was to become the Chair of NASACRE on the day of the AGM.  Members congratulated her on her appointment.

RESOLVED

That any member of SACRE wishing to attend the NASACRE AGM should inform the Clerk.

Provisional dates for the next municipal year 2007-08 pending approval at the Council AGM on 21 May 2007:

12 June 2007

13 September 2007

8 January 2008

4 March 2008

The Committee agreed the provisional dates for the next municipal year 2007-08 pending approval at the Council AGM on 21 May 2007:

SACRE

Monday 18 June 2007

Thursday 6 September 2007

Tuesday 8 January 2008

Tuesday 4 March 2008

All meetings will start at 7:00pm.

ASC

Monday 23 April 2007 at 6:30pm at Haringey Civic Centre.

Wednesday 23 May 2007 at 6:30pm at Haringey Civic Centre.

Forward Planning

The Islam Expo was to be held this year at Olympia from Friday 13 to Monday 16 July 2007.  Leaflets would be made available and distributed to schools in the near future.

Meeting ended at 9:00pm.