Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are reminded that they must declare the existence and nature of their declared personal interest. 

No declarations of interest were made. 

Notice of items which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B (4) of the Local Government Act 1972. 

The Chairman indicated that there were no urgent matters for consideration.   

To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2013 (copy enclosed).

(a)       That subject to the suggested amendment, the minutes be approved as a correct record;

(b)       That the Committee Officer contact the members by email to obtain their views on amending the start time of future meetings; and

(c)        That consideration of an alternative start time be included on the agenda for the next meeting of the committee.  

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2013 were submitted. 

Matters Arising

Councillor Chris Bithell referred to minute number 16 on Regional School Effectiveness and Improvement Service (RSEIS) and asked whether following the change to Gwasanaeth Effeithiolrwydd (GwE) arrangements, there would be a North Wales SACRE rather than SACREs in each local authority.  The Systems Leader indicated that this would require a change in the law as SACRE was a statutory requirement for each local authority.  However, following the Hill report, discussions were beginning on reducing the number of education services in Wales but there would still be one SACRE for each Authority. 

Mr. R. Keating referred to the meeting times of SACRE and suggested that an alternative start time be considered.  The Chairman asked for the item to be included on the agenda for the next SACRE meeting.  Councillor Chris Bithell suggested that a letter be sent to all members asking them for their thoughts on a later start time.  It was agreed that the Committee Officer would contact the members of SACRE by email for their views of meeting times. 

The Systems Leader referred to the final paragraph on minute number 20 about the self evaluation questionnaire being submitted to the Primary and Secondary Headteachers Federation.  He explained that in other authorities, the questionnaire was submitted once every six years in the year the school was inspected by Estyn but at the previous meeting, SACRE had discussed asking schools to complete the questionnaire every two years.  Mr. Keating felt that the decision made at the previous meeting should be confirmed. 

Following a question about whether contact had been made with Further Education establishments within Flintshire to discuss collaborative work being undertaken in the future, the Systems Leader said that this issue was being pursued and it was hoped that the item would be included on the agenda for the next meeting of SACRE.            

Accuracy

Councillor Colin Legg suggested that the word ‘bi-annual’ in the final paragraph and resolution to minute number 20 be amended to read ‘biennial’.  

RESOLVED:

(a)       That subject to the suggested amendment, the minutes be approved as a correct record;

(b)       That the Committee Officer contact the members by email to obtain their views on amending the start time of future meetings; and

(c)        That consideration of an alternative start time be included on the agenda for the next meeting of the committee.  

To receive the analysis of recent Estyn Inspection Reports (copy enclosed).

(a)       That the report be noted; and

(b)       That the RE quality framework be included on the agenda for discussion at the next scheduled meeting of SACRE.     

The Systems Leader introduced the report on the analysis of inspection reports for five schools inspected under the new Estyn Framework between November 2012 and January 2013:-

YsgolMaes Garmon, Mold

Sealand CP School

YsgolMynydd Isa, Bryn y Baal

Wood Memorial CP, Saltney

Sychdyn CP

            He detailed the positive comments made in key questions 1, 2 and 3 for all five schools and highlighted those made in the areas of standards; wellbeing; learning experiences; care, support and guidance; learning environment and partnership working.  He also detailed the negative comments for learning experiences and care, support and guidance about not complying with the statutory requirements for Collective Worship and the recommendation in the report about the need to comply. 

            Mr. R. Keating expressed significant concern about the comments shown in the report as they did not appear to reflect anything to do with religion.  The report made no statement about religious education in schools, included a small amount about collective worship and made no reference to the development of religious education or collective worship.  Councillor Colin Legg concurred and said that some aspects of religion were fundamental and that SACRE was not fulfilling what he had hoped.  Councillor Chris Bithell also agreed with the comments of Mr. Keating and Councillor Legg but said that there seemed to be a change in emphasis from previous reports and queried whether this was due to a change in approach by Estyn.  The Systems Leader said that there had been a change in 2010 to reduce the key questions from 7 and this had resulted in generic data which did not focus on specific subjects.  The monitoring procedure had continued until 2012.  He said that he now worked within a broad context of school improvement.  On the role of SACRE he said that the self evaluation questionnaire would replace the monitoring report and that this was discussed at the previous meeting.  He commented on other ways that SACRE members could monitor schools which could include undertaking visits as SACRE still had a duty to monitor Religious Education and Collective Worship.    The committee would be asked to consider the RE quality framework at the meeting scheduled for the Autumn term.  

            Mr. Keating said that his comments were not a reflection of the work undertaken by the Systems Leader but were about the report completed by Estyn which followed a formulaic style.  He added that he felt that the reports were too general.  Following a discussion, Councillor Nigel Steele-Mortimer suggested that future monitoring reports not be included in the agendas.  Councillor Chris Bithell suggested that a letter be sent to the Minister on whether there was a continuing need for SACREs.                                 

            In response to the comments made, the Chairman said that the questionnaire should provide the information required by SACRE about the monitoring of Religious Education and Collective Worship and added that WASACRE were also considering the issue.  The Systems Leader said that a letter would be sent out if a school  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To receive a verbal update on the RE Literacy and Numeracy Competition.

That the update be received.      

The Systems Leader provided a verbal update on the RE Literacy and Numeracy Competition.  He explained that 16 entries from 11 schools across Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire had been submitted.  The schools in Flintshire were:-

·        Maes Hyfryd School, Flint

·        Cornist Park School, Flint

·        St David’s High School, Saltney

·        Southdown Primary School, Buckley

·        St. Mary’s School, Nercwys

He explained that the number of entries submitted was disappointing but it meant that prize money of £150 could be given to each of the 11 schools that had entered.  The majority of entries were for literacy activities but five were for numeracy projects.  The next step was to scan the material received and create a PDF of activities to email to all schools by the end of the current school year.  The Systems Leader said that he hoped that the package would be a positive resource and added that it would be available for schools to use from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year. 

RESOLVED:

That the update be received.      

To receive a verbal update on the REC sponsored walk. 

That the update be received.         

The Systems Leader provided a verbal update on the REC sponsored walk.  He explained that £500 had been raised for the REC and Abergele Youth Action.  He had written a report which was available on the REC website about the sponsored walk and he had attended an REC meeting earlier in the week where he had been congratulated for a positive day.  He said that not as many people had turned up as he had hoped but the walk, which took about three hours, had been positive and CADW had opened the abbey in Llangollen for the walkers to visit. 

The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, congratulated the Systems Leader for his efforts.  The Systems Leader said that sponsorship money could still be given and that he would send the Committee Officer a link to the just-giving website to pass onto to the members of the Committee. 

RESOLVED:

That the update be received.         

To receive a presentation from Tim Gough and Colette Owen on the Easter Transition day held at St. John’s Methodist Church, Llandudno on the 15^th March 2013.

That the update be received.           

The Systems Leader gave a presentation to the committee on the Easter Transition day held at St. John’s Methodist Church, Llandudno on 15^th March 2013.  The Year 9 pupils worked with Tim Gough for six weeks to prepare for their role as characters in the Easter story which they performed on the day.  The Year 6 pupils were given I-pads to allow them to note any questions or issues they wanted to raise and to use the camera to video the characters and the i-book section to look at the Facebook pages (which had been created by Mr. Gough) for the characters.  Mr. Gough hosted the day and undertook a lot of the preparation work and it was hoped that the video of the day would create a valuable resource to encourage other schools to undertake similar projects.  The Systems Leader explained how the day had progressed with the Good Friday story being told in the morning and the Easter Sunday story being portrayed in the afternoon by way of a press conference.  All of the notes and resources which had been collected would be collated before being circulated to schools for future use. 

Councillor Carolyn Thomas welcomed the initiative.  Reverend H. Powell-Davies asked if there was any provision for the Welsh medium schools.  The Systems Leader explained that one Welsh school had attended but the remainder of the documents and notes would need to be translated into Welsh. 

RESOLVED:

That the update be received.           

(i)         To receive the minutes of the last meeting of the Association held on 22^nd March 2013 (copy enclosed)

 (ii)       To agree attendance to the WASACRE conference (Cardiff, 10^th October 2013) at Ty Dysgu, Cefn Coed, Nantarw, Cardiff CF15 7QQ

(a)       That the minutes be received; and

(b)       That the Committee Officer email the members of SACRE once the date of the WASACRE conference was confirmed to ask for names of those who would like to attend.    

(i)         Minutes of the WASACRE meeting held on 22^nd March 2013

The Chairman introduced the minutes of the WASACRE meeting which had been held on 22^nd March 2013. 

The Systems Leader referred to page 19 about the agreed syllabus and said that a discussion had been made at WASACRE for SACREs to postpone their agreed syllabus conference until the results of the agreed syllabus review were known.  On being put to the vote, the suggestion to delay the agreed syllabus conference was carried.  

(ii)        To agree attendance to the WASACRE conference on 10^th October 2013 at Ty Dysgu, Cefn Coed, Nantarw, Cardiff

            The Systems Leader explained that he would be attending the conference.  He provided details of the items for discussion and said that Leighton Andrews, the Education Minister, had been invited to speak at the conference but following his resignation the new Education Minister, Huw Lewis, had been asked to attend.  It was not yet known if he could attend on the original date of 10^th October 2013 and therefore the date of the conference could change. 

Following a discussion, it was agreed that once the date was confirmed, the Committee Officer would email the members of SACRE to ask for the names of those who would like to attend. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the minutes be received; and

(b)       That the Committee Officer email the members of SACRE once the date of the WASACRE conference was confirmed to ask for names of those who would like to attend.    

The next meeting will be held at 2pm on Wednesday, 27^th November 2013 in the Clwyd Committee Room, County Hall, Mold.

The Chairman informed members that the next meeting of SACRE would be held at 2pm on Wednesday, 27^th November 2013 in the Clwyd Committee Room, County Hall, Mold.