Return to Agenda

Division(s): N/A

ITEM EX21

EXECUTIVE – 15 MARCH 2005

"FAITH IN OUR SCHOOLS" SCRUTINY REVIEW

Report by Director for Learning & Culture

Introduction and Background

  1. In July 2004 the Executive received the report of the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee’s review, "Faith in our Schools". The recommendations from the report are reproduced as Annex 1 (download as .doc file). The Executive accepted recommendation 1, subject to the amendment noted in Annex 1, and asked the Director for Learning & Culture to examine the remaining recommendations in detail and report back setting out the implications early in 2005.

  2. Since July 2004 there has been greater clarity about the requirements of the Children Act, including the need to draw up a Children & Young People’s Plan to replace the Education Development Plan. The expectation is that this should be drawn up by April 2006 (with a shadow plan in place by September 2005) under the following required headings:

    • Physical and mental health

    • Protection from harm and neglect

    • Education, training and recreation

    • The contribution of young people to society

    • Social and economic well-being

  1. The present report has been prepared by the School Development Service and specifically addresses recommendation 2 of the "Faith in our Schools" report. (Other services within Learning & Culture will respond in subsequent reports to the implications of other aspects of the Scrutiny Committee’s report.) Recommendation 2 proposed the preparation for head teachers and governors of guidelines based on Annex F to the original report, reproduced as Annex 2 (download as .doc file). This report deals with the main themes identified in that recommendation and Annex.

  2. It is considered important that the decisions taken by the Executive in response to the recommendations of the "Faith in our Schools" report are incorporated into the Children & Young People’s Plan. To do otherwise would run the risk of marginalizing the aspirations of pupils from various faith communities in Oxfordshire schools.

    3. Curricular and Pastoral Modifications Within The Current Context

  3. Grouping of pupils by single sex as opposed to single faith groups are considered to be more appropriate for parts of the Sex Education curriculum. Groupings should be determined according to age and maturation rather than general gender groupings. However there may well be a need to differentiate teaching materials in order to be sensitive to faith beliefs e.g. depiction of the human body. The use of resources such as the ‘Difference and Diversity’ module for sex education is recommended as part of professional development for teachers.

  4. The adaptation of the curriculum or the adoption of modules across a range of subjects which provide specific support for and recognition of the child’s faith, culture and language is a principle to be supported (as part of ‘balance’ across the curriculum). Good practice recognises that opportunities occur in most subjects to reflect the multi-cultural, multi-faith society in which we live. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) element of the Ofsted framework for the inspection of schools reinforces this view. Schools should avoid the negative impact of ‘tokenism’ and superficiality by thoroughly consulting with parents and faith leaders. Opportunities for the professional development of staff and the development of resource materials would enhance this approach.

  5. Within the current legal requirements schools do deal sensitively and do not proselytise when undertaking collective worship and religious education. The involvement of faith leaders is considered good practice and Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) provides guidance to such leaders visiting schools. In the case of Voluntary Aided Schools they have their own control over religious education and collective worship. Through SACRE and the religious education newsletter sent to schools there can be encouragement of awareness of the availability locally of faith leaders as well as knowledge of places of worship and festivals. Staff, parents and pupils should also be considered as a valued resource and sources of information.

  6. It is absolutely necessary that anti-bullying policies should take account of race, culture and religion. School governors have a responsibility to monitor and evaluate policy and practice. Schools are legally required to report annually to Learning & Culture on any recorded incidents of racial harassment.

  7. It is important to be sensitive to matters relating to changing and washing facilities and social events. This requires consideration and understanding of the diversity of interpretation within faith communities in order to develop an inclusive school environment.

  8. The School Development Service can develop the capacity to make available relevant training for all staff and governors. It is for schools and governing bodies to make decisions as to whether they avail themselves of such opportunities.

    9. New Possibilities To Support Pupils From Different Faith Communities

  9. The current legal requirement is that schools must offer an official modern foreign language (MFL) of the European Union (EU) to pupils in Key Stage 3. This offer must take place on an annual basis. If there is no demand for any such language offered then any other language could be substituted for the EU language. Some schools with large minorities of heritage or faith languages may wish to develop curriculum or extra curriculum time to the teaching of these languages. The potential difficulty of recruiting qualified teachers for such languages would jeopardise this provision as an entitlement. A way forward may be for schools to work in partnership to make the provision. There are no current examples of school-based distance learning.

  10. The provision of an Islamic Studies option or similar options to support members of specific faith communities is also governed by the range of the curriculum already offered by schools and the availability of qualified staff. As with MFL there may be the opportunity for schools to take this forward in partnership, including the use of extra-curricular time.

  11. The Governor Services Unit has a remit to increase the recruitment of governors from minority ethnic communities which could also contribute to an increase in the number of governors from different faith groups. Human Resources is mindful of the need to recruit and retain teachers from all backgrounds in Oxfordshire. Accredited training is available for teaching assistants to access and complete teaching qualifications. All sections of the community are encouraged to act as mentors with a particular emphasis on those from Higher Education and the business world to raise the expectation of pupils.

    12. Special Arrangements Within Existing Schools

  12. Specific provision (e.g. prayer rooms, washing facilities) may require both a review of the timing of the school day and use of current accommodation. Any change should not run the risk of marginalizing smaller faith groups within the school community. Dialogue is required between schools and faith communities to establish reciprocal awareness and understanding of the needs of both schools and communities.

  13. The decision to make school premises available outside of the school day to enable faith-based instruction is with the governing body. Favourably meeting such requests may be encouraged through the current development of "Extended Schooling". Special dietary requirements are already provided for in many schools and vegetarian options are available where there are isolated or small numbers. School catering services should be sensitive to and act upon dietary needs.

  14. Flexibility with regard to uniform arrangements is a decision of the governing body which is turn should be based on a good understanding of the needs of local faith communities.

  15. With regard to authorised absence in religious holidays, clarity is needed on what constitutes a religious holiday as opposed to a minor festival. Even within a single faith there can be a diversity of practice as to what is an obligation of observance as opposed to personal choice. Again, dialogue with different faith groups will help to clarify some of these issues.

  16. Single sex provision for one or more classes in mixed sex schools in particular subjects has been the subject of some national discussion. There is research evidence that while the academic performance of girls improves, the attitude and commitment of boys declines. The analysis of school data would need to be sufficiently robust before such decisions were made. The creation of single sex groupings (in mixed sex schools) for all or most of the curriculum is not supported.

    17. Conclusions

  17. The School Development Service is committed to working with schools, their governing bodies and faith communities to ensure that pupils grow and learn within a genuinely inclusive environment. There is a genuine will to explore individual and joint possibilities of supporting schools in their attempts to adopt and modify the environment and the curriculum, with the object of supporting pupils in their sense of identity, well-being and security, all of which are accepted as positive affective aspects of learning.

  18. The emphasis on modification in the existing school context would also suggest the value of developing pupils’ sense of ‘multiple group membership’ where they are able to understand their place as contributing citizens in the community, and as contributing members of ethnic group, school and faith groups. By extending their core values and working in collaboration with school services and others, schools become more effective when embracing all groups and when nurturing the contributing role of all individuals. Collaborative work, connection with groups outside school, funding and investment in training programmes to support development are critical in offering practical opportunities to realise many recommendations.

  19. The Service welcomes the proposal for preparation and circulation to schools of a guidance document based upon the responses to the recommendations contained in the ‘Faith in Our Schools’ report. It is proposed to produce a guidance document for teachers and governors based on the scope of Scrutiny Recommendation 2, to be launched in September 2005. It is estimated that the cost of producing this for all schools would be of the order of £1,000.

  20. The Governor Services Unit will offer governor training in major non-Christian faith groups as part of its development programme for the 2005/06 academic year. The basic costs would be covered by the current Governor Services subscription package, but there could be some additional cost from fees charged by specialist trainers/speakers.

    21. Scrutiny Committee Comments

  21. The Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee considered a draft of this report on 22 February and agreed to recommend the Executive:
        1. to note the contents of the report;
        2. to ask for a full service response to the recommendations of the "Faith in our Schools" report and to set a date for the submission of the full response;
        3. to ask for a further report which sets out how the implications of the recommendations of the "Faith in our Schools" report might be incorporated into the Children and Young People’s Plan.

RECOMMENDATIONS

  1. The Executive is RECOMMENDED, having regard to the comments by the Scrutiny Committee, to:

          1. note the contents of the report and endorse the action proposed in its conclusions;

          2. note that a full service response to the recommendations of the "Faith in our Schools" report will be made to the Executive in the early Summer; and

          3. ask officers to report further on how the implications of the recommendations of the "Faith in our Schools" report might be incorporated into the Children & Young People’s plan.

KEITH BARTLEY
Director for Learning & Culture

Background Papers: Nil

Contact Offices:
Peter Renshaw tel. 01865 428074
Geoff Jones tel. 01865 492062

February 2005

Return to TOP