Agenda item

SACRE Member News (An update from Members regarding activities undertaken since the last SACRE meeting) - Julie Siddiqi

Minutes:

Councillor Brooker confirmed that he had been named as Chairman of the Education & Children’s Services Scrutiny Panel.

 

Jo Fageant, Professional Advisor, confirmed that the Church of England had commissioned a project to create resources for teaching about Christianity, designed to address the most recent Ofsted reports. It was hoped that in future, a similar project could be undertaken for all the major religions. The resources were being created by members of RE Today, and would be available once training had been completed (likely by the end of the Summer Term).

 

Julie Siddiqi highlighted this year’s ‘Big Iftar’, being held at various sites including Coventry Cathedral. The Big Iftar is an initiative to invite people from all faiths to come and share the Iftar, a meal at a special time of day during Ramadan, when Muslims open their fast and give thanks for the food they are eating.

 

The question of whether children who received education at home were required to receive Religious Education was raised. It was confirmed that home schooled children must receive ‘suitable’ education, with no requirement to receive Religious Education specifically. It was expected that new guidance would be forthcoming within the next 12 months that may change this.