Minutes:
The Chairman advised SACRE Members that the PGCE course in Religious Education that she teaches at Durham University is to be closed and the current students would be the final ones.
She read out a letter to SACRE Members which she had had published in the Church Times on the cessation of the course.
SACRE members discussed in detail the impact of the course no longer being offered and it was suggested that SACRE send a letter of protest to various organisations.
The Specialist Inspector for Religious Education reminded SACRE members that the remit of SACRE is to advise the local authority on matters relating to RE and collective worship and they needed to ensure they did not go beyond this remit. She did say that the removal of the course would have an implication for Durham schools but more research would need to be done in the future to confirm this.
She suggested that SACRE could ask about the qualifications of teachers in Durham schools to ascertain the quality of training and advise the Local Authority.
The Chairman advised SACRE Members that she and Councillor Dixon had met with the Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People’s Services to discuss the annual SACRE report being submitted to Cabinet.
Councillor Dixon discussed the outcome of the meeting with Members, in particular that the annual report should be submitted to Cabinet from a Council Officer rather than the Specialist Inspector. The Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People’s Services had indicated that he would discuss the issues with the Head of Education but the decision would be made by the Corporate Director of Children and Adults Services.
W Gray suggested that the next Task Group meeting should discuss the SACRE Development Plan and the feedback from the Portfolio Holder be incorporated into this meeting.