Agenda item

Jo Fageant, Professional Advisor, introduced a paper designed to provide guidance on Collective Worship to schools. Feedback to the paper was sought.

It was confirmed that Collective Worship remained a legal requirement for schools, though not all schools were adhering to the requirement. Ofsted would likely review this and make comment on it during any inspection. It was noted that the Policy listed a requirement of Collective Worship to be “broadly Christian in character” and it was confirmed that schools could apply for a determination should they not wish to deliver Collective Worship in this manner.

The question of how SACRE could help support Islamic Collective Worship in schools was raised, particularly for important rituals held on Fridays. It was confirmed that this would be separate from Collective Worship, which was designed to be broadly generic and encompass many different faiths. However, it was confirmed that schools often made a particular classroom or space available as a ‘quiet room’ where students or staff could undertake their own acts of worship. It was agreed that further guidance on this would be added to the next SACRE School Newsletter by Jo Fageant.

Feedback to the paper was positive, though it was requested that the document be condensed, retaining the policy itself. It was also requested that a list of approved external people who could deliver and run acts of Collective Worship be added. The request was received favourably, though it was noted that any such list would need to be rigorously maintained to avoid becoming obsolete. It was agreed that this list be added to the guidance paper, and that Julie Siddiqi be added as a main contact, responsible for the maintenance of the list.