SACRE AT BAPS SHRI SWAMINARAYAN MANDIR

At BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Gipsy Lane, this afternoon for the regular scheduled meeting of Leicester SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education).

I'm asked to remove my shoes as soon as I step inside the building. I confess to feeling suddenly despondent at this point, as I can't bear my feet being cold and it’s bloomin’ freezing today and I’ve walked almost an hour to get here. But - miracle of miracles - the temple has heating beneath the marble floor tiles!

For half an hour before the meeting, SACRE members are given a guided tour of the Mandir. Sadly for me, I’m late and miss this part.

In the meeting, we have the second presentation in our ongoing series, Faith Focus, in which one of the members of SACRE is given the opportunity to introduce the group to their religion or belief. Today, appropriately enough, it’s a presentation on Hinduism by Hiten Bhatt, with particular emphasis on the BAPS Swainarayan tradition.

Extracts from two DVDs produced by Leicester Youth SACRE ar shown. The first of these DVDs was filmed at the conference, Challenging RE, on Friday 4 November at Holy Trinity Church. The second, a more purely promotional DVD, in which Youth SACRE members express what they’ve gained out of being involved and in which small groups of members discuss various topics (e.g. identity and belonging; peace and conflict; Wills and Kate’s royal wedding; the killing of Osama Bin Laden; religious stereotypes; prayer; and arranged marriages).

Jill Carr (SACRE’s Secretary) makes a presentation on the place of Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education (SMSC) in the new Ofsted framework (and its implications for schools).

In the past year there were anxieties about the position of RE. However, the new Ofsted framework was introduced in September and there is more emphasis on the inspection of SMSC (spiritual, moral, social and cultural education) and less on community cohesion. 

Inspections will judge how well the school promotes SMSC development of pupils. What matters most is how well schools ensure high standards of achievement, learning and behaviour for their pupils, as well as contributing to their SMSC development and take account for it. All schools should be promoting pupils SMSC development and preparing pupils for life.

“In the present inspection framework, SMSC development is regarded as an outcome for pupils, which is often aligned with judgements about pupils’ behaviour and the extent to which they contribute to the school and wider community.” The new framework proposes “to shift the focus so that consideration of how well the school promotes pupils’ SMSC development forms part of the judgement on overall effectiveness. Evidence to support this will be gathered from consideration of the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and attitudes, achievement, and leadership and management.”

RE, art and music are some examples of subjects that promote aspects of SMSC provision. However, discussion with pupils and staff will provide an important insight as to how SMSC is planned as part of the curriculum in other subjects. Pupils’ spiritual development is shown by their beliefs, religious or otherwise, which inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s feelings and values.

Jill explained how school can promote each individual aspect of SMSC development. Overall, it was good news for RE. Pupils' attitudes have changed towards RE they enjoy doing it and GCSE numbers have increased year on year. On this evidence, then, we may concluded that the RE community is stronger than ever!

Draft copies of SACRE’s annual report were distributed (an electronic version was circulated in advance of this meeting). Jill Carr summarised key points:

Standards and Quality of provision of RE:

• One RE subject inspection this year
• 27 Section 5 inspections fewer than last year
• Fewer schools achieving higher grades for SMSC and Community Cohesion
• In Leicester number taking full course remained static
• Exam results improved A* and A brackets went up considerably

Quality Learning, teaching, leadership and Management:

• Some training offered
• Recruitment of staff is good
• Head teachers in primary schools keen to promote RE / SMSC

The effectiveness of the locally Agreed Syllabus:

• Embraced by schools
• Raising standards of RE in the classroom
• Adopted by Diocese and Blackburn with Darwen Education Authority
• Around 30 Agreed Syllabuses have been sold
• It will be amended in two years – runs for five years

Collective Worship

• SACRE has contributed to Collective Worship in schools
• There have been five new determinations
• New certificate in place
• In future, more SACRE input

Management of SACRE

• Generally well attended meetings in different settings
• Vacancies in groups B and D

Leicester Youth SACRE

• Continue to be difficulties in meetings
• DVD completed
• Strategies needed to consolidate membership and meeting times

SACRE & Community Cohesion

• Engaging with Faith Communitiess booklet
• Interfaith initiatives
• School outreach
• Sacred Spaces

Development Plan

• Clear priorities for this year 2011-2012
• To develop links between Leicester SACRE and schools
• To raise the profile of SACRE
• To support the work of Leicester Youth SACRE

See a slideshow of images of Leicester's BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir here.