To receive a verbal update with a focus on how Equality and Diversity is promoted through SACRE and Living Difference IV
Minutes:
The Professional Adviser to the SACRE explained that 2 big launches of Living Difference IV had taken place earlier on in the year and that initiatives resulting from the launches were being implemented in time for the new school year in September.
The main changes involved the ‘Golden Threads’- belonging, community, special and love. These strands were woven through the RE curriculum, from primary through to the end of secondary education. The thinking behind the Golden Threads was to help ensure that the RE curriculum developed through the use of these golden threads, which are present throughout a child’s time at school, and that these would help ensure progression in the RE curriculum and continuity within the curriculum at secondary school.
Pupils were also given the ability to help choose what they studied in the RE curriculum through the introduction of pondering time for one unit of their RE.
RE curriculum packs for the primary phase were in the process of being updated and made available to teachers. It was stated as an action point that SACRE members were able to get an overview of The Bay’s coverage of the Golden Threads in their RE curriculum, to help show an example of how the golden threads might be used
It was explained that the Hampshire RE Moodle was a very beneficial resource in the teaching of RE and that the SACRE Adviser had published a newsletter which highlighted all the resources that were available on Moodle. This had been sent to all Island Primary Head Teachers and RE Leaders.
It was asked if the Hampshire RE Moodle was
available to parents and carers involved in home education. It was
stated that Moodle was available to all.
The committee discussed how equality and diversity were being promoted through the SACRE and Living Difference IV and the SACRE Adviser gave examples of how she considered equality and diversity were being promoted in the training and resources for RE leaders.
It was stated that when considering equality and diversity, the Committee should not only consider how to broaden the thought and concepts of equality and diversity in training and resources, but also how accessible the syllabus is to people. It was asked if Living Difference was available in larger text, Braille and or other languages for example. The SACRE Adviser said that she would ask about this.
Due to donation funding, The Bay had recently managed to buy Ukrainian, Polish, Spanish and French Bibles. It was explained to the Committee that the grants for funding projects existed in the wider RE world and that in future, a bid could be put in to seek funds for RE projects that would benefit the Isle of Wight Schools for example.
The subject of reading lists and the GCSE RE curriculum was discussed and how RE leads had brought this to the attention of NASACRE.
RESOLVED:
THAT the report be noted.
THAT the Overview on The Bay’s coverage of the ‘Golden Threads’ be sent to SACRE members to help show an example of how the ‘Golden Threads’ might be used
THAT initiatives be considered to promote the Hampshire RE Moodle to the Island’s Home Education Community
THAT the SACRE Adviser would find out if Living Difference IV would be available in larger text, braille and other languages.