This meeting was to consider the adoption of a new protocol for SACRE, feedback on Camden's 2023-2024 Annual Report and to receive an update on the work of the Camden Faith Forum. It was also scheduled to discuss the adoption of a new monitoring process, a grant application from the Westhill/NASACRE for an RE project run with Camden schools and to receive an update from the Department for Education (DfE) on RE staffing and student outcomes in Camden's Secondary Schools.

Draft Camden SACRE Protocol

A new protocol was presented to the SACRE for discussion and adoption. It outlined the areas of focus for SACRE and expanded on the expectations and responsibilities of SACRE and its members. The report pack contains the draft Camden SACRE Protocol document which exists as a supplement to the Camden SACRE Terms of Reference in Camden’s Constitution and the guidance and legal framework set out in the Religious education in English schools: Non-statutory guidance 2010.

Possible Interventions and Developments for Religious Education in Camden

The meeting was scheduled to consider a plan to improve GCSE results in Religious Education. There was to be a verbal report from the RE Advisor on this topic.

The meeting was also scheduled to consider an application for funding from the Westhill/NASACRE. The application in the report pack is for £4,000 to pay for four one-day conferences, each with six Camden primary schools. The conferences will be led by Claire Clinton, the RE Advisor, and will be used to train RE lead teachers in Camden, who would then be able to run similar events in the next academic year. The project is called Celebrating Diversity and is intended to:

Promote dialogue between pupils of differing beliefs around diversity within and between religious and non-religious beliefs and how these encounters can help to celebrate diversity. This will help to develop skills of empathy, tolerance and respect.

The conferences are also intended to achieve community benefit, by building relationships between adult SACRE members in Camden and local school children. It is intended that the conferences will give adult SACRE three benefits:

A) it’s faith representatives will be contacted to be part of the one-day conferences to be part of panel discussions – giving them an experience of working alongside primary pupils. B) Becoming seen will allow SACRE members to become known to schools; C) This will strengthen the voice of SACRE within the LA as it can see the benefit it can bring to education through community cohesion and understanding.

The meeting was scheduled to consider a proposed monitoring survey for schools. The survey is intended to allow the SACRE to gain firsthand knowledge from those who lead on the subject what is going well and what support they require to do better in RE at all key stages. Separate surveys are proposed for primary and secondary schools.

Camden SACRE Annual Report 2023-24

The meeting was to receive the Camden SACRE Annual Report ¹ for 2023-2024. The report details the work of the SACRE over the past academic year, and the outcomes of Religious Education qualifications taken by students in Camden schools. Feedback from members was requested on the report.

The report states that attendance of SACRE meetings was good, and that hybrid meeting arrangements allowed the SACRE to:

continue to ensure that our membership represents the diversity of faith and worldviews represented in the borough.

The report goes on to describe the launch of a new Agreed Syllabus, which schools responded to very positively. It states that:

Both the primary and secondary RE networks have continued to flourish.

It states that there were two determinations processed by the SACRE, which both related to renewals of existing determinations. It states that:

SACRE were pleased to renew these determination and were pleased with how the school had an inclusive, reflective programme of collective worship for all pupils that teachers and parents/carers were fully supportive of.

The report goes on to describe the outcomes of Religious Studies GCSEs in Camden. It states that:

Looking to national standards, our Camden results sit on or just above the national average at GCSE as a borough. Boys do less well than girls in the results. SACRE advised the LA that targeted support should be provided for schools around GCSE results and raising your results. This will be provided through Camden Learning in Spring term 2025.

It describes the costs of the SACRE in the 2023-2024 academic year, which totalled £21,480. These included £3,365 for the clerk, £110 for NASACRE membership, £9,500 for the RE consultant, £5,000 for Agreed Syllabus development, £115 for attendance of the NASACRE conference, £50 for participation in the NASACRE webinar program and £3,450 for Camden Learning management. It also includes the SACRE's priorities for the 2023-2024 academic year, and a record of attendance at SACRE meetings.

SACRE Annual Self-Evaluation Toolkit

This item was on the agenda to receive feedback from members on sections 2 and 3 of the self-evaluation toolkit. The report pack contains a copy of the toolkit, which contains sections on: the management of SACRE and its partnership with the local authority; the standards and quality of provision of Religious Education; the effectiveness of the agreed syllabus; the quality of provision of collective worship; and the contribution of SACRE to community cohesion.

Faith Forum Update

The meeting was scheduled to receive a verbal update from a representative of the Camden Faith Forum, covering interfaith work across Camden and their plans for 2025. Feedback was requested on how the SACRE can support the Faith Forum's work.

NASACRE Updates

The meeting was scheduled to receive a verbal update on:

opportunities for Camden SACRE members to engage with national training and information on Religious Education (RE) and Collective Worship.

This included the content of NASACRE's online webinar program for 2025, and details of their 2025 conference. Feedback was welcomed from members on how SACRE can continue to develop its individual and collective knowledge of national issues and developments.

Department for Education (DfE) Workforce Data for Camden Secondary Schools

This item provided members with data from the DfE on the number of teachers and the percentage of curriculum time dedicated to Religious Education at Camden secondary schools. It also showed GCSE results broken down by school. Members were asked to comment on the data and what it revealed about Religious Education at Camden secondary schools.

Camden Religious Education (RE) Network Meetings Update

This item is a report that contains details of recent meetings of Religious Education leads at Camden Schools. These include a meeting on Friday 22nd November 2024 of RE leads at Camden Primary Schools. The meeting was held at the Maria Fidelis Catholic School and was led by Claire Clinton. It included a presentation on teaching Judaism by Anna Silver, Education Officer at the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and a curriculum overview from RE leads at Fleet Primary School and Eleanor Palmer Primary School.

The report also contains details of a meeting of secondary RE leads held on Tuesday 22nd October 2024 at Camden council's offices at 5 Pancras Square. This meeting was led by Claire Clinton, and also included discussion of the new Agreed Syllabus.