Issue - meetings

Isobel Vale, Schools Adviser, RE Specialist, will attend to give a presentation informing members about the role of the SACRE.

The Committee received a presentation from Mr Wood (Chair of the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE)) and Ms Vale (Religious Education (RE) Adviser).  Ms Vale said that RE was the only subject to be determined locally.  Oxfordshire had an Agreed Syllabus from Foundation Stage to post 16.  By the end of Key Stage 3, all pupils had studied six major world religions.  In addition, there was the opportunity to look at no religion’s responses to different topics.  All schools offered GCSE and attainment was in line with the national average.  All education authorities were required to have a SACRE.  SACRE set the RE curriculum and monitored its effectiveness.  It met three times a year.

Mr Wood reported that members of SACRE were volunteers.  He thanked Ms Vale who was retiring this year for her professional advice.  SACRE had a statutory obligation to review the syllabus every five years.  It monitored national developments/guidelines and took account of these when assessing how far Oxfordshire’s syllabus conformed with them.  It had an on-going programme of work, including producing an annual report.  It met in public and its minutes were on the Council’s website.  Schools were requested to send information to SACRE and the Advisory Council supported teachers.

Members expressed concern that there was a shortage of RE specialist teachers locally.  Ms Vale reported that nationally there was a shortage. 

Ms Taylor thanked Ms Vale for her work on RE and sent her best wishes for her retirement.

A copy of information about SACRE was circulated at the meeting (copy of which is appended to the signed copy of the minutes).

It was AGREED that the Director for Children, Young People & Families should be advised that the Committee considered RE to have an important role in the curriculum and to endorse thanks to Isobel Vale for her work on RE.