Agenda and minutes
Venue: Siambr Hywel Dda - Council Offices, Caernarfon. View directions
Media
No. | Item |
---|---|
PRAYER Additional documents: Minutes: The meeting was opened
with a prayer from Councillor Selwyn
Griffiths. |
|
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN To elect a
Chairman for this committee for 2016/17. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved: To re-elect Councillor Selwyn
Griffiths as Chair of this Committee for the year 2016/17. |
|
ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN To elect a
Vice-chairman for this committee for 2016/17. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved: In light of the fact that many
members had sent their apologies for the meeting, it was felt that it would
be better to defer the election of Vice-chair until the next meeting. |
|
APOLOGIES To receive apologies
for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Cllrs
Tom Ellis, Gweno Glyn, Mrs Elizabeth Roberts (Undeb Bedyddwyr
Cymru), Dr. Gwyn Lewis (Presbyterian Church of
Wales), Cathryn Davey (Teachers' Union). |
|
DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST To receive
any declaration of personal interest. Additional documents: Minutes: No declarations of personal interest were received
from any members present. |
|
URGENT ITEMS To note any
items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for
consideration. Additional documents: |
|
The
Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the meeting of SACRE held on 10
February 2016 be signed as a true copy. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair signed
the minutes of the meeting of this committee held on 10 February 2016, as a
true record. |
|
SCHOOLS' SELF-EVALUATION PDF 281 KB (a) To receive, for information, the
monitoring form in respect of schools’ self-evaluation for the Spring 2016 to
Summer 2016 period. (Copy enclosed) (b) To present a summary of the following schools’
self-evaluation: (i)
Morfa Nefyn Infant School (ii)
Cymerau School (iii)
Foelgron School (iv)
Manod School (v)
Nefyn School (vi)
Pont
y Gof School (Copies enclosed) Additional documents:
Minutes: (a)
The GwE Challenge
Advisor guided Members through the sheet submitted giving a summary of school
findings and attention was drawn to the fact that four primary schools had been
inspected by ESTYN during the 2015 Autumn term, along with 5 primary schools
and 1 secondary school during the Spring Term 2016. Attention was drawn to the
fact that ESTYN's "Good" conclusion included more than just Religious
Education. (b)
Members were guided
through the self-evaluations of the schools of Morfa Nefyn, Cymerau, Foelgron,
Manod, Nefyn and Pont y Gof noting that it was hoped that the schools had
reached their opinions by scrutinising books and considering religious
education data. Attention was drawn to examples within the
self-evaluations and it was noted that there was evidence of quantifying,
lesson observations and the schools had deemed that the standards and provision
was good. From the self-evaluations, the context of the type of work done at
the schools was set. RESOLVED: To accept and note the contents of the
inspections and self-evaluations and in accordance with procedure to request
that the Assistant Education Officer sends a letter to the above schools
congratulating them on their success and to note SACRE's appreciation of the
efforts made by them in achieving the grades. |
|
WELSH GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PDF 256 KB To receive an update on
the Welsh Government’s Curriculum
Review. Additional documents: Minutes: The GwE Challenge
Advisor reminded members of the intention of Professor Graham Donaldson to
amend the Wales Curriculum and explained that whilst the curriculum's subjects
were the responsibility of Welsh Government that religious education was the
responsibility of local SACREs and that they had adopted a national framework
that had a similar status to that of other subjects. She elaborated
further on the four objectives at the core of the new proposed curriculum,
namely supporting children and young people to be: ·
ambitious, capable learners ready to learn
throughout their lives ·
enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play
a full part in life and work ·
ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world ·
healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead
fulfilling lives as valued members of society. The curriculum
would be arranged into six learning and experience fields. It was noted that
Professor Donaldson was eager for the curriculum to be implemented from the
bottom upwards and that there would be a need to give teachers an opportunity
to trial it. The GwE Challenge Advisor elaborated that she was a part of the
Consultative Panel and that they had met to try and draw up guidance on
"what is religious education" and hopefully another meeting would be
held in the coming weeks so that information could be shared with the
pioneering schools. In terms of pioneering schools in the Gwynedd SACRE area,
it was noted that the leaders in the different fields had been identified
through GwE for joint-planning but that very little guidance had been submitted
to date. In terms of
primary schools, it was noted that Dellatec (Siwan Tecwyn) offered a course on
the requirements of Professor Donaldson's recommendations. In response to an
enquiry regarding the pioneering schools, the GwE Challenge Advisor confirmed
that she would share the list with SACRE Members. Resolved: To
accept and note the above. |
|
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND THE BACCALAUREATE To receive
an up-date from the GwE Challenge Advisor on the above. Additional documents: Minutes: The GwE Challenge Advisor shared background information with Members and noted
that there was a specification for introducing the Welsh Baccalaureate
in schools since 2015, and that a number of SACREs had complained and highlighted concerns that this
was detrimental to Religious
Education. The Wales Association
of SACRE had decided to draw up
a questionnaire to send to schools in order
to gain a better understanding of what was happening in reality.
Eight primary schools from Gwynedd had completed the questionnaire and in the whole
it was noted that Gwynedd schools had noted that not much change had been seen. Appreciation was shown and the schools
were thanked for responding and it was noted
that good teachers were protecting
religious education. It was noted that Ysgol Friars had started to offer two lessons a week
and would continue with this
until Christmas. Resolved: (a)
To accept and note the above. (b) To ask the
SACRE Clerk to send a letter to the schools to express SACRE's gratitude and appreciation
for the responses to the questionnaire. |
|
UP-DATE BY THE GwE CHALLENGE ADVISOR To receive
an up-date by the GwE Challenge Advisor. Additional documents: Minutes: The GwE Challenge Advisor reported: (a) that concerns had been highlighted recently at the Wales Association
of SACRE associated with
INCERTS (implemented in primary schools to track pupils' attainment). Appropriate level descriptions within the programme were noted for
subjects such as Welsh, English, Mathematics and Science. However, in terms
religious education, there had been some confusion as there were
two descriptions, namely "Original Framework" and "Exemplar Framework". It was noted that the correct description to use was the "Exemplar Framework". This reflected on SACRE regarding the lack of guidance to schools on which
level description should be used. It was suggested that a letter should be sent to all
Gwynedd primary schools to inform them that
they should check that the "Exemplar Framework" level descriptions were selected when
recording Religious Education on INCERTS because this was the relevant level to Gwynedd and Anglesey's Agreed Syllabus. (b) GCSE - it was suggested that Head Teachers
should ensure that Religious Education teachers gained access to any courses and
to collaborate with Mavis Jones, Head of Religious Education Department, Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, Amlwch, who was the region's coordinator and she would be available
to assist Gwynedd and
Anglesey. (a) For information, it was noted that CYNNAL had been awarded a five year contract to develop an e-magazine
for geography and that it
would be a good model to copy for religious
education. Two individuals from Gwynedd had been appointed as editors
of the magazine namely Huw
Dylan, Ysgol y Berwyn and Noel
Dyer, former teacher at Ysgol Glan y Môr, Pwllheli. The first issue of the magazine would be published on HWB+ around the end of the Autumn term. Resolved: (a)
To accept and note the above. (b)
To request that the SACRE Clerk sends a letter
on behalf of SACRE: (i) to all primary schools in Gwynedd drawing their attention
to the guidance to select
the "Exemplar Framework"
for Religious Education within the
INCERTS. (ii) to express their appreciation
of GwE's 'lead teachers' scheme to ensure that GCSE Religious Studies teachers received support and opportunities
to collaborate when preparing the new GCSE specification. (iii) to send best wishes
to Mefys Edwards Jones, head
of the religious education department, Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, Amlwch, in her role as
lead teacher. |
|
WALES ASSOCIATION OF SACRE PDF 505 KB (a) To receive the draft minutes of the Wales
SACRE Association’s meeting held on the 8 March 2016 in Haverfordwest. (Copy enclosed) (b) To note that the next meeting will be held
on 23 June 2016 in Rhyl. (c) To consider nominations fro the Executive Committee
of WASACRE – nominations attached. (Copy enclosed) Additional documents: Minutes: (a) Minutes of the previous meeting The draft minutes of the previous Association meeting, held on 8 March
2016 in Haverfordwest, were submitted. The GwE Challenge Advisor drew attention to the following matters: ·
That the WJEC course had
been postponed ·
That the Advisory Panel had
prepared guidelines on the rights of a child/parents to withdraw from
collective worship. (b) Nominations for the Wales Association of SACRE's
Executive Committee were submitted. Resolved: (a)
To accept and note the contents of the minutes. (b)
To note that the Association's next meeting would be held on 23 June 2016 in
Rhyl. (c) To request that the GwE Challenge Advisor votes on
behalf of Gwynedd SACRE for the three individuals named below: Mary
Parry Huw
Stephens Mathew
Maidment |