Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Katie Mason, Sarah Griffiths, Dominic Oakes and Councillor Cheryl Williams.

No declarations of interest had been raised.

No urgent matters had been raised.

To receive and approve –

(a)       the  minutes of the Denbighshire SACRE meeting held on 1 February 2022 (copy enclosed), and

(b)       the minutes of the Denbighshire SACRE Agreed Syllabus Conference held on 14 March 2022 (copy enclosed).

The minutes of the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) meeting held on 1 February 2022, alongside the minutes of Syllabus Conference held on the 14 March 2022 (previously circulated) were submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the SACRE meeting held on 1 February 2022, alongside the minutes of Syllabus Conference held on the 14 March 2022 be received and approved as a correct record.

To discuss the progress made toward the recommendations from the Agreed Syllabus Conference held on 14th March 2022.

The RE Adviser introduced the item on the Adoption of the Agreed Syllabus Conference Recommendations. It was clarified it was likely the matter would be brought to the meeting in the autumn to discuss the matter and to ensure that schools would be using the curriculum.

The RE advisor highlighted that the forward to the document was incorrect and would need changing it was agreed the matter would be addressed with the chair outside of the meeting. It was clarified by the RE advisor that the syllabus was with the translation team, it was also raised that once the translation was complete the document would need to be published on the website. The RE advisor sought the committee opinion on making the document more appealing prior to being published, the committee were happy for the document to change to draw the reader’s attention; however, they would like to have sight of the document prior to the publication.

The committee discussed the following in further detail –

• Education of RE after the age of sixteen was raised, the RE advisor informed the committee that students who were currently in education post the age of 16 would receive some form of RE education, however children who were in year 6 would receive the choice to continue the RE education post the age of 16.
• The language of which the RE education would be conducted was raised, the RE advisor responded stating that the education would be available in both Welsh and English.

RESOLVED that the report by the RE Adviser regarding the Adoption of the Agreed Syllabus Conference Recommendations be noted.

To update the committee about the WG/WASACRE HwB playlists on RVE Training related to the Agreed Syllabus conference.

The RE advisor alongside the Principal Education Manager (PEM) introduced the update on professional development.

The RE advisor informed the committee that the WASACRE Hwb playlists (online learning courses) were not currently available to show to the committee; however, the RE advisor made the committee aware that the quality of the playlists were high.

Both the RE advisor and the PEM had also organised RVE/RE training for over seventy teachers and head teachers which had been positively received. The teachers also had access to RE/RVE guidance, the RE advisor thanked Denbighshire with their assistance with the training sessions for teachers. In closing the RE advisor planned to circulate a questionnaire to the teachers who received the training to see whether they thought the sessions were beneficial.

Leah Crimes (teacher representative) gave the RE advisor an update from a recent head teachers meeting, as some teachers were behind with RE/RVE training however hopefully the Hwb playlists would assist with the training and rollout of the material.

RESOLVED that the verbal update from the RE Adviser be received and noted.

To receive the minutes of the last meeting of the Association on 6th April 2022.

The RE Adviser reported that the minutes of the last meeting held on 6th April 2022 had not yet been made available for circulation but much of the meeting had focused on the HWB playlists.

The RE Adviser informed the committee that there was an election for members on WASACRE, there were three vacancies and five people sought a place on the committee. The RE Adviser gave the committee short presentations from each candidate prior to the committee making their choice.

The committee proposed Vicky Barlow, Edward Evans and Dr Louise Brown, for executive. All members agreed to the proposals.

The RE adviser informed the committee there was also nominations for the position of vice chair; however, only two had put their names forward these were Vicky Barlow, and Edward John Evans.

The committee proposed Edward John Evans for the position of vice-chair, all members agreed to the proposals.

RESOLVED that Vicky Barlow, Edward John Evans and Dr Louise Brown be proposed for executive positions, and that Edward John Evans be proposed as vice chair for WASACRE.

·         19th October 2022

The next SACRE meeting was organised for the 19^th October 2022.

The meeting concluded at 11:00am.