Agenda item

(Angela/ Emily) See attachment

Angela – The SACRE managed to achieve nearly everything we intended to this year with just a few exceptions due to the pandemic-

• The federation secondary INSET day did not go ahead this year.
• Members were getting ready to go and visit schools but this came to an abrupt halt.

• Support for secondary schools – The SACRE normally contributes financially to the secondary federation inset day so that they can book speakers for their inset day. But this was cancelled this year. It has also been cancelled for next year so we need to bear this in mind when planning support for secondary schools for the coming financial year.

Membership – see document in agenda pack indicating vacancies

We have tried to recruit a Buddhist to group A but have not been successful. Let us know if you know anyone.

2 teacher association memberships to fill, now that Michael is standing down

We would like another secondary teacher and primary teacher.

Already engaged with Julian Bushell to try to recruit a secondary teacher but no success so far.

Please note, members of Group C don’t have to be directly teaching RE

Development plan for the coming year – also see later item.

Conceptual understanding project– primary and secondary – see later item.

We will need to consider how we can offer remote support to schools. There is no guarantee that schools will be happy to have visitors from September so how can we make best use of the online platforms and technology that we have at our disposal? How can we best support schools and how can we encourage schools to support SACRE and be more aware of what is going on in RE?

Budget update

After expenses expected to be incurred during this month, we have a surplus of around £2000 for this financial year. Angela explained that possibilities for spending this, in terms of what RE Today can offer, are:

• Training on a resource called ‘Understanding Christianity’
• Anti-racist RE – could be cross-phase training
• RE Today offer various membership packages to schools which could be subsidised

Emily stated that

• This money cannot be easily carried over to the new financial year. We would have to put a case forward to commit the money now for an event in the future which could be a difficult process.
• If we do not use the money it should not impact on the amount we receive next year.

Beth stated that the Hub has been making some films and there may be some further costs in this respect.

General discussion took place with ideas of how to best use this surplus. Ideas included:

• RE Today training and/or resources for schools
• The conceptual development project (only a little money required)
• Continuing the Hub project/ launch event
• A Muslim speaker for schools
• Resources for schools - from RE Today/ an artefacts library (does the Bracknell Forest library still exist?)
• Training for SACRE members

ACTION: This money cannot be easily carried over. We would have to utilise this surplus; we need to have a purchase order raised before 31^st March 2021. Members are invited to please forward suggestions of how best to spend this money as soon as possible to Stephen and Beth, Angela and Emily, who will meet soon to further discuss this