Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting especially Srishruthi Thirumalai and Gargi Dawle, year 3 pupils from Newton Farm Primary School who had come with their Head Teacher, Rekha Bhakoo to give a presentation. She also welcomed Suzie Rook, RE coordinator from Marlborough Primary School.

RESOLVED: To note apologies for absence from Mr Mike Bishop, Mrs Niru Desai, Mrs Phiroza Gan-Gotwal, Mr Vijay Hirani, Cllr Asad Omar, Ven Sumana Sramaner, Rev’d Matthew Stone, Ms Nancy Parsons, Cllr Nana Asante, Cllr Bill Philips, Cllr Camilla Bath, Cllr Nizam Ismail.

The following members were absent without apologies: Miss Fatema Rahemani, Mr Paramjit Singh-Kohli and Dr Vinod Kapashi.

There were no Councillor members present, so the meeting was not quorate.

The clerk drew members attention to a correction made in the latest version of the minutes, circulated with the agenda:

Minute 10 b bullet point 2:

Mr Mike Bishop informed members that progress has been made towards setting up street pastors - an initiative discussed at previous meetings . A visit has been made to look at an existing scheme and meetings are in progress to start the scheme in Harrow and Wealdstone town centres in the very near future.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 November 2010, having been circulated and taken as read, were signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED: Minutes should be posted on the council website when they were circulated with the agenda for the next meeting.

There were no matters arising from the minutes

5. SACRE Monitoring Standards and Quality of Provision for RE in Harrow Schools

Cedars Manor School Self-Evaluation

Mary Abbott, who as well as being a member of SACRE, is also Subject Leader for RE at Cedars Manor School, reported her evaluation of the school’s provision for RE and the outcomes for learners. She tabled the draft SEF (familiar to members from Alexis Sobell’s presentation last year) which she has completed for Cedars Manor. She took the committee through this document drawing attention to the following:

Context for RE in the school

At KS2 RE is taught by a HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant). Members expressed some concern at this. It is not clear what subject expertise she has, although her enthusiasm and commitment for the subject are not in doubt. A member of Group C (Teachers’ Associations) raised concerns about TAs teaching RE. It was suggested that where RE is taught by TAs, often as part of the school’s arrangements to cover teachers’ PPA entitlement, this reduces the status of RE and the RE Curriculum. It was thought unlikely that any school would use HLTAs to teach other subjects. Teacher representatives also raised the issue of exploitation and accountability, as the HLTA is doing a teaching job but not being paid teacher’s rates of pay. As far as Cedars Manor is concerned, the arrangement appears to work well but Rachel Bowerman advised SACRE that two of the key questions to ask are what RE-specific training the HLTA has received - for example in the implementation of the Harrow Agreed Syllabus – and whether school leaders have listened to pupils about the impact of an HLTA teaching RE across the school . Mary Abbott has only recently taken over as RE coordinator, so she has not yet monitored progress in any depth, but she has plans to monitor children’s work and teachers’ lesson plans.

Pupils’ Achievement

The school has introduced level descriptors at KS2, although it was noted that they have adopted the national ones, intended as guidelines, rather than using those in the Harrow Agreed Syllabus.

On the basis of interim assessments, it is predicted that most children will attain a level 4 at the end of KS2. Rachel asked how this compared to outcomes in the core subjects.

At the Foundation Stage, pupils’ profiles are used for assessment.

 Mary Abbott regretted that SEN pupils are often withdrawn from RE in order to catch up on Maths and Literacy and SACRE members registered their own concern.

RE Related outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Children often come in at a low level but they settle and achieve well. They are very enthusiastic.

Pupils’ behaviour in RE

Their behaviour is good

Every Child Matters and RE

Children are happy and confident and willing to share with others.

Quality of teaching in RE

The SEF reported that when RE lessons had been observed, teaching had been judged as good. However, this was a small evidence base, as only two  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

A report from Newton Farm School on its presentation for the London celebration of this national festival for RE, at the Zoroastrian Centre on 24 March 2011

SrishruthiThirumalai and Gargi Dawle gave a very well researched and immaculately prepared PowerPoint presentation on the Zoroastrian religion, covering the following aspects:

History

Zoroastrianism around the world

Present day Zoroastrians

Zoroastrian view of the world

Role of fire

The seven elements

A class trip to the Zoroastrian Centre in Rayners Lane.

The Chair thanked them for their excellent presentation, clearly spoken and excellently researched.

Srishruthi and Gargi then answered questions:

There are no members of the Zorastrian community at their school. A year 3 class visited the Zoroastrian centre. When she saw the fire burning, Srishruthi felt excited. She enjoyed learning about its symbolism. Gargi had enjoyed the part where they rang the bell to ward off evil spirits. They had both been struck by certain similarities of ritual and symbolism with their own religion, for instance the plate full of fruits and the use of incense. They knew that frankincense also crops up In the Christian tradition in the nativity story. This also features in Zoroastrian traditions where it is held that the wise men came from Persia in the East and it is to the east, the source of light, that Zoroastrians pray.

In answer to a question about why RE is different from other subjects, Srishruthi and Gargi explained that they found it interesting to learn about the differences and similarities and how the different religions link together.

In answer to a question about how learning about religion helps us as individuals and links us as a community, the girls replied that learning about religions helps us to respect each other’s religions. Rachel Bowerman explained RE is highly relevant to a new award sponsored by Unicef called “The Rights Respecting Schools’ Award. Newton Farm have been pioneers in gaining this award, being the first in the borough and among the first nationally to achieve the top level within a year – a significant achievement.

The committee were very impressed with the girls’ presentation and answers. Rachel Bowerman was confident that their presentation at the Zoroastrian Centre would be received with similar admiration. She thanked both the children and their Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher and asked if she might have a copy of their talk to send to members who were not present this evening. The presentation will also be videoed and can be viewed on the school website.

RE Month at Newton Farm

RekhaBhakoo also added some information about RE month at Newton Farm. She explained that the school will be promoting pupil voice led activities. Speakers from different religions will give presentations and bring artifacts. Parents will also be invited and the children will work in mixed age groups. She invited members of SACRE to attend: members should contact the school directly if they wished to do so. Manju Radia was looking for some  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

SACRE Chair’s Group Meeting

Report of Chairs’ Group Meeting held on 26 January 2011 (minutes circulated previously)

Rachel Bowerman took membersthrough the minutes drawing attention to the following:

1. National event at the Zoroastian centre: Rachel Bowerman thanked Bhavita Pandya who has been liasing with the four schools involved. The schools have been very enthusiastic and responsive. Rachel Bowerman will try and secure invitations for SACRE members for the event which is on the 24 March from 5.30 to 9.30pm.

2.HarrowSACRE’s planned contribution to ‘Celebrating RE’: the Chairs’ group has agreed to produce a protocol for visiting speakers and this will come to the full committee for approval.

3. Collective Worship: in response to a question about the current status of determinations, Rachel Bowerman confirmed that while schools are not currently being encouraged to apply for determinations, SACRE has a duty to receive and make decisions about any application for a determination that is submitted. It is a planned action of SACRE that it will develop new guidelines for school submissions for determinations, particularly in relation to the data required about the profile of its faith communities.

In response to a question as to whether members found the formation of the Chairs’ group a helpful development, a member expressed the view that it was helpful for getting through business and bringing matters to the full committee in a well-formulated way.

In response to a question about communication between members and their chairs, Rachel Bowerman confirmed that the Chairs of groups were a conduit to their members both circulating documents for consultation and receiving suggestions for future agendas and that it would be helpful if Chairs did this by email.

Rachel Bowerman tabled a slightly updated version of the Development Plan which incorporated revisions made at the Chairs’ Group meeting. One change is the date on the cover which has been extended to 2014, as members felt that the plan should run for three years.

Rachel Bowerman outlined some of the significant changes taking place in the educational world at the moment: the dissolution of the QCDA which had previously had an RE Officer to promote RE within the curriculum, the changing relationship between LAs and schools and the expansion of academies – which will not be required to deliver the locally agreed syllabus. SACREs had never had the authority to intervene directly in schools but had been able to make recommendations to the LA regarding action required to improve RE locally or in individual; as LA teams shrank to a core with responsibility only for schools causing concern, there would be no capacity to implement SACRE’s recommendations.

Gill Ross expressed the view that SACRE should urge NASACRE to lobby the government to increase the remit of SACREs to include the monitoring of RE in faith schools, free schools and academies.

Rachel Bowerman referred again to “Celebrating RE.” She expressed a concern that if schools and LAs ‘put on a good show’ it might create the impression that RE is flourishing and well supported. She warned that as advisory support, which sought to keep RE high profile, disappeared, RE expertise in schools could suffer and RE be reduced to one-off events rather than a well-resourced subject of the basic curriculum.

It was agreed to keep this issue on the agenda and to put it forward for the NASACRE AGM which takes place in May or June. The Chairs’ group will prepare a letter to send to NASACRE.

Action: Chairs’ group

Rachel Bowerman explained that the five dimensions of the development plan are taken from the QCDA’s guidance for effective SACREs and their self-evaluation. She took members through the plan. The plan will enable the committee to monitor SACRE’s progress it also matches key expenditure to priorities. It was agreed that monitoring progress against the plan should be a standard item on future agendas.

The Chair thanked Rachel Bowerman for a very clear and useful document.

a) Harrow Inter Faith Council: Martha Besser reported that she has appealed for young people who might want to help to develop a website. She will draft a paragraph for Rachel Bowerman to place in the Gold Bulletin as it might make a good GCSE or A level project.

Action: Martha Besser and Rachel Bowerman

b) Faith Communities  Mrs Doreen Samuels informed the Committee that the Limmud Day mentioned at the last meeting has now completely sold out. She will report back at the next meeting.

Date for the next meeting confirmed:

14 June 2011 at 7.30pm at the Civic Centre

Harrow SACRE Minutes 02/03/11 6Harrow SACRE Minutes 02/03/11 7

Mark Doherty at the Civic Centre has identified the following dates which are not scheduled for council meetings:

Autumn Term: 2011: 19 September

29 November

Spring Term 2012: 7 March