Agenda and minutes

The Agreed Syllabus Conference appointed Ashpreet Singh Nainu as chair for this meeting.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2018 be    approved as a correct record.

The Agreed Syllabus Conference welcomed the revised Pan-Berkshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education RE) 2018-2023 document and commended the update that had been provided at the SACRE meeting prior to this meeting. The final version of the document which included the Chair’s foreword was circulated at the meeting.

In the discussion that followed, the Conference highlighted the requirement for wider range of religions and belief systems to be taught as statutory requirements, including Islam in the Primary Phase and specifying the study of non-religious view, probably Humanism in Key Stage 3.

A query was raised about the presumption that Humanism would be the area of study for non-religious worldview in Key Stage 3. It was acknowledged however, that this would not necessarily be the case, as there was more flexibility in this area and that schools would be free to include additional religions and belief systems as relevant to their community. 

The Chair proposed that the revised Agreed Syllabus be put to a vote. The Conference Members agreed to approve the syllabus and to recommend to Cabinet that the revised syllabus be formally approved for introduction into Slough’s schools from 1September 2018.

Sue Elbrow abstained from voting due to concern about the presumption that Humanism would be the area of study for non-religious worldview in Key Stage 3 rather than alternative secular view.

The new Syllabus will be formally launched at a joint training day with RE staff

from Slough on 12 July 2018.

Resolved:

a)  That the revised Pan-Berkshire Religious Education Agreed Syllabus  2018-2023 be approved

b)  That Cabinet be requested to resolve that the revised Pan-Berkshire Religious Education Agreed Syllabus 2018-2023 be approved and adopted as the Agreed Syllabus for use in Slough Community and Foundation schools for a period of five years from 1 September 2018.