Agenda and minutes

It was noted that a meeting of the Standing Conference for the Harrow Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education was due to be held at the rising of the SACRE meeting.  A number of members stated that they would have to leave the meeting early, and after some discussion the order of the agenda was therefore changed.

RESOLVED:  That, in order to allow members who could not stay for the whole evening to participate in the setting up of the Conference, the agenda be altered to run as follows:-

Standing Advisory Conference for the Harrow Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education

Appointment of Chair and Vice Chair

Minutes of the Meeting on 9 December 2004

SACRE

Agenda as circulated

Standing Conference

Agenda resumed

[Note: Further to the decisions reached at Minute 147 above, the following procedural sequence was followed:-

(i) SACRE stood temporarily adjourned;

(ii) the membership present reconvened itself in the status of the “Standing Conference for the Harrow Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education”;

(iii) the Standing Conference then being in session undertook the first three items of its meeting, being namely the appointment of Chair and Vice Chair, the receipt of previous minutes and a formal introduction to the business;

(iv) SACRE formally reconvened and completed the business on its agenda;

(vi) upon the rising of SACRE, the Standing Conference subsequently reconvened for the completion of its meeting (see Note at the closure of these SACRE minutes)].

RESOLVED: To note that apologies for absence had been received from Mr Aggarwal, Mrs Desai, Envoy Haylock, Councillor Lavingia, Mrs Perinparaja and Mrs Stowe.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

RESOLVED: (1) To note the following interests declared by Council Members:

(2) to note the following interest declared by a non-Council member:

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2004, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

·         Membership

Amend to reflect that Mike Bishop had offered apologies and that Pam Wearing preferred not to use a title.

·         Minute 145 – Standing Conference for the Harrow Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education

This Minute was amended by the Standing Conference for the Harrow Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education meeting on 10 March 2005 (Minute 2 of that meeting refers).

It was reported that Foundation Stage Project Boxes to promote awareness of Cultures and Beliefs had been launched.  There were 15 boxes already available to schools and nurseries, and a further two, for Jains and Zoroastrians, were being assembled.

Each box contained soft toys, puzzles and books relating to a particular faith but items could be used to teach across the curriculum.  Members were shown the box relating to Judaism and photographs of some of the other boxes were circulated.  It was reported that ideas for items that could be included in the boxes would be welcomed.

Guidance notes for the packs were tabled.  A member pointed out that there was an error in the guidance.

RESOLVED: That the Chair liaise with the relevant member to ensure that the guidance was corrected.

The Chair thanked members for their comments on the draft Annual Report.  The final version had now been submitted to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and also to the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-Committee.  The Chair of the Scrutiny Sub-Committee had queried whether the Orthodox Epiphany should be added to the list of dates during school terms for which authorised absence might be taken by children to observe a festival. Members considered this issue and also that of Orthodox Good Friday.

It was noted that Muslim festivals and some other key dates had been omitted from the Annual Report circulated to members, as the second page relating to Religious Festivals had been lost when the report had been copied.  It was confirmed that the version sent to the QCA was complete but the Chair undertook to establish whether faulty copies had been circulated to the Scrutiny Sub-Committee or elsewhere.

It was noted that not every festival was listed.  The list was produced to help Headteachers establish whether pupils should be allowed authorised absence.

A Member commented that school governing bodies had a duty to monitor absences.

RESOLVED: That (1) the Orthodox Epiphany and Good Friday be added to the list of festivals for which authorised absence might be taken;

(2) the missing page of the Annual Report be forwarded to members;

(3) the spelling of Diwali be corrected on the list of festivals; and

(4) SACRE would continue to offer guidance to Headteachers by publishing a list of festivals.

RESOLVED: To note that there were no determinations to be considered at this meeting.

Details of the Harrow SACRE budget were tabled.

It was noted that schools were now using resources available via the London Grid for Learning website.  The distribution costs for printed material had therefore been lower than in previous years, which meant that funding was available for the Early Years resource boxes. Business funding was being sought to provide packs on Islam, published by the Muslim Council of Britain, to all schools.

RESOLVED: (1) That the above be noted; and

(2) to note that final budget reports would be available on 11 April 2005.

It was noted that Harrow Council and Harrow Inter Faith Council had organised a Multi Faith Memorial Service and Community Conference on 22 February 2005. Members of 11 faiths had taken part in the event.  The discussion after the service had prompted some good ideas.  A member highlighted that there had been more emphasis on children’s needs but that elderly people also needed support.

A Member, who had lost relatives in the disaster, reported that he had been in Sri Lanka at the time.  He gave a moving eye-witness account of the situation there and the hardships being endured.  He pointed out that there were many long-term needs.

It was noted that, following the conference, a steering group had been set up to co-ordinate aid from Harrow to the afflicted areas.

(i)         Harrow Inter Faith Council Newsletter

The Harrow Inter Faith Council newsletter for Spring 2005 was tabled at the meeting.

(ii)            Passover Events

Details of a Passover Seder on 30 March 2005 in Middlesex New Synagogue, to which all SACRE members were invited, were tabled.

It was also reported that the Headteacher of the Moriah Jewish Day School had invited members to a Seder meal on 13 April 2005, tickets for which were £10, inclusive of a meal.

RESOLVED:  That the SACRE clerk be informed of the names of those who wished to attend the Passover Seder on 30 March 2005, or the Seder meal on 13 April 2005.

(iii)            Holocaust Memorial Events

There had been various Holocaust Memorial events within the Borough, and representatives from synagogues expressed appreciation of the contribution by pupils from Harrow schools.

(iv)            Membership of SACRE

Harrow Council for Racial Equality (HCRE) had asked if they could have two members on SACRE.

RESOLVED: That two HCRE representatives sit on SACRE.

(v)         National Association of Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (NASACRE) AGM

SACRE Members were invited to attend the NASACRE AGM on Tuesday 19 April 2005 from 10am to 3.30 pm in Birmingham.  Funding was available for travel expenses.

RESOLVED: That members wishing to attend notify the Chair.

(vi)        Self-Evaluation of SACRE

It was reported that a pack on self-evaluation for SACRE, which would be used in the future, had been received from HMI Barbara Wintersgill.

(vii)            Lectures

A Member suggested that SACRE arrange lectures for school children on a quarterly basis with speakers drawn from the faith communities.

It was reported that schools frequently invited visitors from faith communities to address pupils, but it was agreed that a conference could be arranged in the future.

(vii)       Muslim Dress

A Member raised the recent court case in which a school girl had taken her school to court for not allowing her to wear her preferred Muslim dress.  

It was reported that SACRE offered advice to schools on clothing issues, and some small hejabs had been purchased for use by girls in science and PE, where looser clothing might be dangerous.

RESOLVED: That dates for meetings in 2005/06 be forwarded to members.