Agenda item

Wendy Harrison introduced the visitors from the City of Leicester's SACRE and outlined outlined her role as RE Adviser to both Lincolnshire's and Leicester's SACRE. She stated that Leicester's SACRE had produced a film on British values and part of this film would be shown to the meeting although not in its entirety as it had not been officially released. Wendy Harrison gave a power point presentation which showed the diversity of religious belief and culture in Leicester. This included a range of churches, mosques and synagogues, etc, as well as other groups such as pagans and secularists. She explained that if schools had a mixed population in terms of faith, or did not have a Christian majority they could apply to SACRE for a determination to have the "mainly Christian" requirement lifted. She explained this within the context of Leicester's diverse population and provided statistical evidence to support this.

Salma Ravat gave a brief presentation of Leicester's SACRE, and once again talked about the diverse population. She explained how determinations work in Leicester and the challenging process schools had to go through in order to get a determination.  She showed some slides which illustrated two schools' approaches to multicultural worship. She also explained that the venue for Leicester's SACRE meetings alternated between schools and places of worship. This allowed the SACRE to examine what was going on at school and community levels.

SACRE then viewed an extract from the film on British values which showed pupils of various ages talking about their experiences of British values. Wendy Harrison stated that it was hoped to produce a similar film for Lincolnshire and it would be up to SACRE to decide what the focus for such a film would be.

Comments by SACRE included the following:-

1. The film was welcomed as it would provide an opportunity for debate amongst the various communities and within schools.

2. The requirement for schools to apply for determinations increased the knowledge about the religious make up of schools in Leicester.

3. Schools would be able to use the film as a resource and training aid.

4. Faith communities had also expressed an interest in using the film.

5. The cost of making a film for Lincolnshire would have to be examined. It was confirmed that the producers of the film were prepared to do this work.

6. The film would provide a useful educational tool for Bishop Grosseteste University.

7. It was planned to place a trailer of the film on social media sites and Youtube.

Wendy Harrison stated that it was proposed to show the whole of the film to the next meeting of SACRE and to make available the teaching materials associated with the film.

The Chairman stated that Leicester's SACRE had invited members of SACRE to attend their next meeting arranged for 4.30pm on Tuesday 12 July 2016.

RESOLVED

(a) That Salma Ravat and her colleagues from Leicester SACRE be thanked for their presentation.

(b) That the film on British values, produced by Leicester SACRE, be shown in its entirety at the next meeting of SACRE.

(c) That members of SACRE be made aware of the invitation by Leicester's SACRE to attend their next meeting arranged for 4.30pm on 12 July 2016.