Agenda item

By law an annual report has to be provided for each SACRE which is then brought to the SACRE meeting for approval and following its approval is distributed to the relevant organisations. The Annual Report is a synopsis of what took place in Newport SACRE last year.  V Thomas was particularly interested in going through the main points contained in the Executive Summary:

a)     Religious Education

SACRE considers and analyses school inspection reports and follows up on any comments made by the inspectors.  During the last academic year no RE subject specific issues were identified in the reports and therefore no follow up action was necessary.

SACRE also analyses examination results over a 3 year period and identifies trends in performance which is benchmarked against the All Wales data.  Schools are informed of the outcomes of this analysis.

Two out of three SACRE meetings are held at schools during an academic year.  In 2016/16 one primary and one secondary school were visited with each school making a presentation on RE which helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of RE at the school.

b)     Agreed Syllabus for RE

In June 2013 Standing Conference endorsed the re-adoption of the Newport Agreed Syllabus for RE but the syllabus would be reviewed following further information being received in relation to the assessment and national curriculum review.

SACRE had been regularly updated on developments with the national curriculum review and are awaiting further details from Welsh Government  and WASACRE before beginning any RE agreed syllabus review.

c)     Teaching Materials

SACRE ensures that schools are informed of suitable teaching materials and in the last academic year Newport schools had been informed of the HMD theme for 2016 and the free resources available from the HMD website. 

SACRE had also circulated to secondary schools a copy of a presentation by Mary Parry together with an accompanying DVD. The resource was entitled ‘Muslim Footballers in the Premier League’ and was aimed at addressing the issue of raising the attainment of boys.

d)     Training for Teachers

It was agreed that continuing professional development (CPD) training was focussed on Literacy and Numeracy.  Training organised by the Church in Wales Diocesan officer had also been offered to schools.

e)     Collective Worship

Part of SACRE’s role is to ensure that schools fulfil the statutory requirements for Collective Worship. SACRE monitors the sections of inspection reports that are concerned with collective worship and SMSC and the LA follows up on any non- fulfilment of statutory requirements by requesting their action plan.  There had been no issues identified in the inspections carried out in the 2015/16 academic year.

SACRE had arranged for schools to host two of its meetings each academic year to observe an act of collect worship or receive a presentation by the RE department.

Schools had been informed by SACRE of appropriate resources and websites that support collective worship in schools.

f)       Other Issues

It was also the aim of SACRE to provide regular updates on local and national issues.

SACRE received termly feedback from the meetings of WASACRE.

Over the academic year SACRE had received three presentations:

·        Achieving the Religious Education Quality Mark Bronze Award by the RE Coordinator at Langstone school

·        RE in the Secondary school by the Head of RE at Duffryn High School

·        RE in the Primary school by the RE Cordinator at Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Teyrnon

When discussing appendix 4 , Newport examination analysis 2014 H Stephens voiced his concern about the drop in A*-G results compared to previous years and wondered whether this had been due in part to the introduction of the Welsh Baccalaureate.  V Thomas confirmed that 92.1% was still comparable with the All Wales data benchmark.  She added that the introduction of the Welsh Bacc would be discussed later in the meeting, under item 12.

The Chair thanked V Thomas for a very detailed and informative summary of the annual report.  She appreciated the work that had been done.

The report was moved and seconded.  A discussion ensued on its distribution.  A Powles confirmed that the report would be published on the Council website and also the schools website.

Agreed:

No comments or questions were received on the SACRE Annual Report .  The report was therefore approved and seconded.

Clerk to arrange for the report to be translated into Welsh.  Both English and Welsh copies of the annual report to be forwarded to WASACRE for publication on its website.

Clerk and A Powles to liaise on putting the report on the NCC website and schools website.

Clerk to send the electronic link to the circulation list on appendix 5 of this report.