Agenda and minutes

[Note: Dheemal Patel and Ravi Mistry attended part of the meeting as Harrow Student Advisory Consultants. Ms H Modi attended as an observer.]

RESOLVED:  To note that apologies for absence had been received from Mrs Niru Desai, Councillor Asad Omar, Councillor Mrs Anjana Patel, Mr Neville Ransley, Ms Pat Stevens and Mrs Alison Stowe.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

That the minutes of the meeting held on the 19 September 2007 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on the 19 September 2007 be taken as read and signed as a correct record, subject to the following amendments:-

(i)                   in the attendance list, Mr Neville Ransley’s surname was misspelled.

(ii)                 inclusion of apologies for absence from Councillor Ms Nana Asante and Mary Abbott.

Following two resignations at the previous meeting, Members noted that they hoped that there would be a new Hindu Community Representative identified in due course.  The Chairman welcomed Nancy Parsons as a Teacher Representative.

RESOLVED: That the above be noted.

Dheemal Patel and Martha Besser.

Dheemal Patel and Ravi Mistry reported that the Student Advisory Group had discussed issues around the dress code for religious artifacts.  They concluded that most students had agreed that items such as necklaces should be removed for certain lessons, such as Physical Education.  Other items, such as bracelets which could not be removed, could be covered.  Students felt that items which were not discreet should not be allowed.  The students reported that one school allowed pupils to submit a letter from a leader of their faith community to support their case particularly where clarification was required.  It was noted that Headteachers had discretion in relation to all such matters.

Dheemal Patel and Ravi Mistry were thanked for their presentation.

It was noted that the Working Party, which devised guidance for schools on the religious needs of pupils had met on 20 September 2007.  Martha Besser noted that there had been no input from a Sunni representative.  It was suggested that Imam Farooqi could be contacted as he was involved with a mosque in the Borough and was also on the Harrow Inter Faith Council.  Alison Stowe would report the findings of the Working Party to the next SACRE meeting.

RESOLVED:  That Imam Farooqi be contacted concerning his possible involvement in the Working Party.

Patrick O’Dwyer and Mike Bishop.

A synopsis of the Ofsted report was tabled. 

It was noted that Harrow already made good use of the non-statutory framework for Religious Education, as recommended by Ofsted. Ofsted also recommended that local authorities, in partnership with SACREs, needed to consider ways in which SACREs could be supported.  Members felt that SACRE was already well supported, as there was Councillor Membership of Harrow SACRE.  Members learnt that Ofsted had recommended that local authorities should consider the promotion of community cohesion and educating for diversity.

It was noted that although assessment was often a weak area nationally, Harrow’s assessment was good.  More students in Harrow were scoring better marks.  Mr Bishop referred to SACRE’s draft annual report and discussed pupils’ attainment and progress.

Nancy Parsons offered to contact Paddy O’Dwyer with details of ‘A’ level results of male and female students separately, as she felt this would give a better picture of the results at Sacred Heart and Salvatorian College.

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RESOLVED:  That the report be accepted and teachers be congratulated on the results obtained by students.

Martha Besser and Patrick O’Dwyer.

Members were asked to feedback ideas for the new revised SACRE handbook.  A copy of the NASACRE handbook, which was tabled, was favourably received as being user friendly.

RESOLVED:  That (1) Martha Besser distribute copies of the NASACRE handbook to members to allow them to submit suggestions for inclusion in the Harrow Handbook.  The suggestions to be sent to Paddy O’Dwyer by e-mail before the March 2008 meeting.

(2)  the handbook include a paragraph summarising the work of SACRE which should be translated into the main languages used in Harrow. 

(3)  the handbook include summaries of the main faiths from the Religious Education Syllabus and excerpts from the Harrow vitality profiles to show the demography of the Borough.

Mike Bishop.

On receipt of legal advice and following discussion, it was

RESOLVED:  That the Constitution be amended to read:

Patrick O’Dwyer.

Advice from the representatives of faith communities was requested regarding the significance for school attendance for the following festivals:  Lailat Ramadan, Krishna Jayanti and Ganesh Chaturthi.  Mr Singh-Kohli reported that the Sikh festivals of Diwali and the Birthday of Guru Nanak would be on 28 October 2008 and 13 November 2008 respectively.

RESOLVED:  That the above be noted.

Patrick O’Dwyer.

Results were tabled. It was noted that with the introduction of sixth forms in Harrow schools, Religious Education would be taught at Key Stage 5.

Members noted that 99% of pupils who had taken GCSE Religious Studies had obtained a grade A?G: 66.7% had achieved A*?C grades.  SACRE had received no complaints during 2008 regarding Religious Education.

RESOLVED:  That it be noted that the Religious Education and Religious Studies syllabi could be found at the following portals:

Martha Besser.

It was noted that the Baha’i resource pack would be launched on 30 January 2008 at the Civic Centre from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm.  Speakers included Barney Leith and Stephen Vickers.  Councillors, School Governors and Teachers would be invited by SACRE.  Mr Kohli noted that a resource pack on Sikhism would be launched in due course.

RESOLVED:  That the above be noted.

Mary Hale.

Mary Hale reported that:

§                     Park High School would be holding a sixth form conference in Summer 2008, which would be open to all of Harrow’s High schools.

§                     Harrow Inter Faith Council (HIFC) was applying for funding for the production of a tapestry to mark the HIFC’s 25^th anniversary.  It was noted that if funding were made available, each faith would produce a tapestry panel.  The tapestry would be presented to the Borough at a performance launch and then shown in the Heritage museum.  The Harrow Inter Faith Council would welcome support from SACRE. Members suggested that copies of the tapestry be made for all Harrow’s school children.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the above be noted;

(2)  Park High’s holding of a sixth form conference in Summer 2008 be supported by SACRE.

Group A Members.

It was reported that:

·                     The Sikh community had celebrated the Birthday of Guru Nanak and Diwali.  2008 would mark the 300^th birthday of the present Guru and there would be a celebration in the Borough;

·                     There would be carols in the Council Chamber on 14 December 2007 at 12.30 pm, with a retiring collection for the Mayor’s Charity.

·                     Councillor Asante reported that she had attended the launch of a project called ‘Talin’ which means ‘Education’ in Somali.  The key aim of this new project was reconciliation, primarily among the three Abrahamic faiths but all faiths would be involved as the project grew. Councillor Asante would send Patrick O’Dwyer details of the project, as SACRE members were eager to be involved.  Nancy Parsons felt that sometimes St Dominic’s College were not included in the distribution of material available to Community Schools and asked that the college be informed of the project.

RESOLVED:  That the above be noted.

Patrick O’Dwyer.

It was reported that:

·                     SACRE had received an email written by Mr Kohli regarding the celebrations for the Birthday of Guru Nanak, including a prayer for peace.

·                     There was a consultation on school admission arrangements for the academic year 2008/09.  Details could be found on the Harrow Council website.

·                     Patrick O’Dwyer would read an article by the Hon. Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, about Id-ul-Fitr.

RESOLVED:  That the above be noted.

Which cannot otherwise be dealt with.

To note that the next meeting would be held on the 12 March 2008.

RESOLVED: To note that the next meeting of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education would be held on the 12 March 2008.