To discuss the Collective Worship aspect of the Self Assessment Toolkit.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the order of business as detailed in the agenda, be amended.

The Chairman reminded members that the RE Toolkit had been covered in detail at the last meeting, with the exception of the section relating to Collective Worship. Members were reminded that part of SACRE’s role was to support the provision of Collective Worship in schools, and where necessary to respond to requests for determinations. There was an acceptance amongst members that Collective Worship had not been discussed much by SACRE in recent times and that members were not fully aware of all of the issues affecting schools in relation to Collective Worship.

Anne Andrews informed members that, although she often attended schools for networking meetings with RE subject leaders, she was not be able to provide advice on Collective Worship during the course of those meetings; that would have to be done separately on a one-to-one basis with the subject leader. This was because the networking meetings were separate from her role with SACRE, and because some of the schools she visited did not come under SACRE’s remit.

In relation to Key Area 3a mentioned in the Toolkit, members felt that the SACRE could be considered as being above ‘Developing’ but had not reached the level of practice to consider itself as ‘Established’ and the SACRE should be considered a borderline between the two. It was felt that issues relating to supporting pupil entitlement had not been discussed much and had been neglected, and that more resources should be put into supporting this. However it was felt that the debate in relation to this point had been a useful exercise.

In relation to Key Area 3b, after some discussion members agreed that the SACRE should be considered as having ‘Developing’ practice regarding enhancing the quality of provision of collective worship.

In relation to Key Area 3c, members noted that the SACRE had only ever received one request to deal with a determination. There had also been very little by way of training and as a result it was agreed that the SACRE should be considered as ‘Developing’ in terms of responding to requests for determinations.

With regards to areas for development, Anne Andrews stated that in her role as advisor to Bracknell Forest Council she had searched the websites of all schools for their Collective Worship policy and arranged for the Local Authority to contact all the schools that did not have their policy publicly available. She said this raised the profile of Collective Worship and made schools aware of it. The Chairman said SACRE should focus its attention on identifying which schools that it had responsibility for and ask about their Collective Worship policy, in order to work out what steps should be taken next. Members agreed to review this against the guidelines relating to types of schools included in the NASACRE Handbook.

Members also reviewed a sample policy and guide to Collective Worship, along with draft copies of forms for applying for a determination and a review of that determination. After some discussion it was agreed to defer the item to the next meeting for further debate.

Action: An item on Collective Worship to be included on the agenda for the next meeting.

Action: Details of which categories outlined in the NASACRE Handbook schools within the Royal Borough fitted into, and, as far as possible, for information on their Collective Worship policies, to be sought from the Local Authority Officer.