Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies received from Robin Launder and Mary Stagg.

The Chairman stated that he would stay in post until the passage of the Agreed Syllabus.

Pauline Donnelly from St Mary’s Church in Thatcham was in attendance to observe the meeting, with a view to joining SACRE as a Church of England representative at the next meeting.

There were no changes in membership since the meeting on 1 October 2024.

.

To sign and approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of SACRE held on 1 October 2024.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2024 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman.

SACREs in Berkshire are developing codes of conduct for their members based on the Nolan Principles of Public Life.  These will mirror similar documents held by other public committees such as school governing bodies.  We will seek to present a proposal to our next meeting.

The Chairman introduced the item and stated that local SACREs were introducing Codes of Conduct, based on the Nolan Principles. The full presentation can be found here: Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education - Recording

The main points highlighted by the Chairman were:

• West Berkshire SACRE would seek to work with other SACREs in Berkshire with a view to presenting a proposal to the next meeting in June 2025. SACRE did not currently have codes of conduct for its members
• The Nolan Principles for public life included: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership

Members noted that West Berkshire Council had a code of conduct for elected members and officers of the Council, which was based on the Nolan Principles.

Mobasshir Mushtaq joined the meeting at 16:39.

5.1      Newsletter

5.2      Networks

5.3      Action Plan

5.4      Upcoming Events

David Rees gave a presentation highlighting the updates relevant to SACRE. The full presentation can be found here: Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education on Religious Education - Recording

The main points highlight by David Rees were:

• The RE Newsletter was sent out at the beginning of every school term, with signposting and useful information for RE Leaders.
• Updates on attendance at Networks (Primary and Secondary)
• Action Plan displayed the statutory responsibilities held by SACRE.
• Upcoming Events – The Wiltshire Conference would take place on 26 March, and the Syllabus Launch event would take place on 27 March 2025 as a training event only.

Members noted that there was low teacher attendance at Primary Networks.

Rose Carberry stated that they were in contact with West Berkshire Schools, and they would be aware if there were any changes to people with responsibility such as headteachers.

Members noted that the launch of the new curriculum could be an incentive for religious leaders in schools. Schools needed resources, and a series of planned meetings with a purpose linked to the curriculum to each one would be a good way of increasing buy in from teachers and schools, especially with resources being provided to teachers who had attended training.

The professional advisor noted that West Berkshire had been oversubscribed for the Syllabus Event on 27 March 2025. He suggested that events such as the agreed syllabus would draw a significant number of teachers.

Members noted that it was often challenging for teachers to find time out of school for RE events due to significant strains on time and resources.

Amanda Bedding and David Taylor introduced the SACRE Budget Proposal 2025-26. The full presentation can be found here: Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education – Recording

As he was the Professional Advisor which was a disclosable pecuniary interest, David Rees determined to leave the meeting for item 6. David Rees left the meeting at 16:53.

The main points highlighted by Amanda Bedding and David Taylor were:

• The 2025/26 SACRE Budget, which had increases in budgeting for the Professional Advisor, and an overall increase from £4,840 to £5,300.
• There were no changes in what was being purchased with the budget.

Concerns were expressed that Mr Rees may have provided incorrect advice on previous occasions and it was suggested that he should be replaced as SACRE’s independent advisor. However, other Members disagreed with this suggestion and spoke in support of Mr Rees.

The Chairman clarified that the budget put forward to the members of SACRE was for the services of a professional advisor, and whether it was a reasonable budget for members to approve.

Members noted that West Berkshire Council had a complaints process, however members questioned whether SACRE was independent of the Council’s procedures and processes. It was noted that any complaint must be put in writing.

Officers stated that the budget for SACRE came from the School Improvement Team and was not funded by the Council. The budget was formed from de-delegation and trading, from DSG and DfE and it was part of the Council’s statutory role to support SACRE.

Members agreed that the name David Rees would be removed from the budget proposal and replaced with Professional Advisor.

Resolved: Members voted to approve the budget, and the motion was carried.

Action: The name David Rees to be replaced with Professional Advisor

Action: Officers to investigate the complaints procedure.

David Rees rejoined the meeting at 17:02.

The Chairman asked members of SACRE if they had any items they wished to discuss under Equality and Diversity. The full item can be viewed on the recording: Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education – Recording

The main points highlighted under Equality & Diversity were:

Concerns were expressed that the new syllabus was in breach of the Equality Act and the Education Act, and that a significant number of concerns raised by members of the Jewish Faith had not been adequately resolved. However, other members disagreed with this suggestion

The Chairman stated that the new syllabus had been created in conjunction with the five other SACREs in Berkshire and had been due to start from Autumn 2025. However, it could be pushed back to 2026-2031 if there were concerns raised by members.

The Chairman noted that the agreed syllabus had not been ratified by any of the Local Authorities in Berkshire, however, the syllabus had been passed by all six Berkshire SACREs, though some were now facing a legal challenge to this.

The Chairman noted that a number of other SACREs were revisiting some of the syllabus content particularly on Judaism, and it should be clear by the next meeting what the changes would look like.

Concerns were expressed that communications highlighting concerns about the syllabus to members had not included the Legal Department at West Berkshire Council. It would take time for the Legal Department to read and advise members on the content of the communications.

It was clarified that the agreed syllabus would likely be passed via an Individual Member Decision, rather than a committee or Council. Members suggested that this could allow sufficient opportunity for any issues to be raised by Councillors, with the ability for the item to be called in before the Scrutiny Commission.

Concerns were expressed that the non-statutory alterations to the syllabus were inadequate to address the concerns raised and treated Jews differently to members of other faiths. Members noted that if a major religion was extremely unhappy, then the concerns should be given a fair hearing. It was clarified that that the process for adopting the syllabus through an Individual Member Decision could give the opportunity for any concerns to be heard and would include an Equality and Diversity Impact Assessment. Members were also informed that any output from an Individual Member Decision would be sent to members of SACRE.

Given the seriousness of the objection that had been raised, it was suggested that SACRE should halt the ratification of the syllabus in order to give a fair hearing to the concerns. It was suggested by members that if there had been more Jews on SACRE, the syllabus may have been paused earlier.

The Chairman noted that other SACREs were reopening their Agreed Syllabus Conferences and recommended that West Berkshire SACRE wait until its next meeting, as the other SACREs would meet before then, and it would be clearer for West Berkshire whether it should reopen  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

No items were raised under any other business.

The date of the next meeting would be 3 June 2025, and take place at The Willink School, as an in-person only meeting.

RECOMMENDATION: That members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information of the description contained in the paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 specified in brackets in the heading of each item. Section 10 of Part 10 of the Constitution refers.

Members of SACRE voted to exclude the press and public and moved into a Part II session.