Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009
Reaching Nirvana, Holly, aged 15 Winner of Spirited Arts 2005, www.natre.org.uk
Happy New Year!
This paper is to brief you on several points that should be of interest to SACRE members.
Monitoring It is proposed: . to link monitoring of provision with a school’s self-evaluation and not with the cycle of Ofsted inspections.
. to produce a pro-forma that schools can use to inform their SEF (see appendix 1).
. to ask five schools per term to fill out the proforma and send a representative to SACRE to discuss their provision and any ways that SACRE might be able to help.
. In the first instance I propose to write to schools whose co-ordinators regularly attend the network meetings and invite them to the summer SACRE meeting.
Revision of ‘Reflection’ guidance This guidance was revised to include a sample policy (see appendix 2) and send out to schools via gatekeeping 10 December 2008.
Revision of guidance for schools with Muslim pupils LA officers and school leaders took part in a consultation with the British Muslims for Secular Democracy, giving them feedback on guidance the BMSD is producing for schools. As a result of this, and following several conversations with schools during the month of Ramadan, it was decided to update our own guidance to include example letters that can be sent to parents regarding concerns over the fasting of children before puberty, information about staff absence for religious reasons (they are entitled to three days a year) and sections on issues that might arise in connection with forced marriage and female genital mutilation (which is of course a cultural rather than a specifically Muslim issue).
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 1 Determinations Both Amrit Nandha (headteacher, Havelock Primary School) and Gillian Borg (headteacher, Allenby Nursery and Primary School) spoke to me in December regarding the renewal of their school’s determination. Amrit is a new head and has been unable to get to the application until now and Gillian has been on long-term sick leave. They both said they would present their application for renewal at the summer meeting.
SACRE and community cohesion A report on RE and community cohesion by HMI Alan Brine can be found in appendix 3. Aconference on community cohesion is being held on 27 March and Ali Langston will give a short briefing about this at the meeting.
Towards a satisfying vision of life? Neil Richardson has had an article published on the Gay and Lesbian Humanist website about the proposed atheist bus campaign. The full article can be found in appendix 4.
NASACRE The NASACRE AGM is scheduled for 4 June 2009 in Birmingham. The Winter NASACRE newsletter, which features a report on Ealing’s RE summer school, can be found appended to this briefing paper.
Nora Leonard SACRE consultant December 2008
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 2 Appendix 1: possible monitoring pro-forma
Name of School
RE Co-ordinator/ HoD
Strengths of RE provision in school
Areas requiring development
Is RE provision in the school compliant with the Ealing agreed syllabus? If not, how are you addressing this? Is the school compliant as regards provision of the statutory daily act of reflection? If not, how are you addressing this? O G S I Learners’ achievement and standards in their work
Learners’ personal development and well-being in RE
Quality of teaching and learning in RE
Quality of the curriculum in religious education
Quality of care, guidance and support in RE
Effectiveness and efficiency of leadership and management
Overall effectiveness
Capacity to make further improvement
Improvement since last evaluation
O = outstanding G = good S = satisfactory I = inadequate
Is there any way Ealing
SACRE could help?
Return to: Nora Leonard, SACRE consultant, Perceval House P2: NE, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, London W5 2HL
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 3 Appendix 2: example of a ‘reflection’ policy
Name of school
Reflection and assembly policy
“Spiritual development relates to that aspect of inner life through which pupils acquire insights into their personal existence which are of enduring worth. It is characterised by reflection, the attribution of meaning to experience, valuing a non- material dimension to life and intimations of an enduring reality. ‘Spiritual’ is not synonymous with ‘religious’…” Handbook for the Inspection of Schools, OfSTED, 1994
[A statement of the school ethos, e.g.] (Name of school) is a thriving school which celebrates the diversity of the pupils and provides a nurturing environment for effective learning to take place. Good links with the community helps to create exciting opportunities for children to learn. The school has a positive ethos in which the needs of children are paramount and met by a harmonious team of teachers and governors.
[How the policy was developed, e.g.] This policy was created as a result of a series of meetings with a cross section of staff. It draws upon various guidelines issued by the DFES and Ealing SACRE, and is regularly reviewed. It recognises the legal responsibility to provide a daily act of ‘collective worship’ for all registered pupils. We are committed to promoting community cohesion, and by referring to ‘reflection’ rather than ‘worship’ it is not our intention to secularise the experience, but rather to make it fully inclusive.
Organisation
[See ‘where and when’ section in “Reflection” guidance, p 4, and developing a school policy, p 8, e.g.] Reflection is held daily when each year group meets together for their twenty minutes assembly time. Each head of year plans a sensitive approach so that notices, as well as the reinforcing of good practice by praise and the award of certificates at all key stages, are linked into the theme. This means that liaison takes place between the head of year and the person leading the assembly. Themes are often linked to seasonal religious festivals and poems, music and various textual passages may be used.
Overall aims
[A statement of aims, e.g.] We believe that the benefits—to both the whole school community and individual pupils and members of staff—of gathering together in reflection on a daily basis include:
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 4 . the fostering in pupils of an awareness of universal moral principles of right and wrong, justice and fairness and a proper concern for the fate of others and the world;
. an affirmation and celebration of the values and ethos of the school;
. the development of an awareness of, and a sense of belonging to, the many different dimensions of the school’s community;
. opportunities to experience the sense of gathering for a special purpose;
. shared experiences that promote thought;
. the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, including opportunities to reflect on practical issues raised by becoming an adult citizen of the world;
. opportunities to consider and reflect upon a variety of situations and issues and make a personal response; and
. opportunities to reflect quietly and make an internal response congruent with one’s own personal beliefs and background: as explained above this may include religious prayers or other forms of meditation.
Content and themes
Assemblies are an important part of the school day. The tradition of listening to music, which encourages a sense of reflection as well as celebration and togetherness, assists in encouraging thoughtfulness about the ethos of the school. Themes are planned in advance and assemblies are presented by members of staff and invited guests from a variety of traditions. Care is taken to ensure that the chosen theme is sensitive and appropriate to the needs of the pupils and the school.
The head teacher is formally responsible (under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998) for arranging the daily act of reflection after consulting the governing body. In practice this responsibility is devolved in [name of school] to (examples: the deputy head teacher/RE co-ordinator, etc).
Monitoring and evaluation
Example: Monitoring occurs through observation carried out by senior staff and heads of year who keep written records of assemblies.
Withdrawal Every parent and guardian is made aware of their right to withdraw their child from the daily act through the school prospectus. However we at [name of school] strive to make
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 5 our acts of reflection as inclusive as possible, [if the school has a determination] and towards that end we have had a determination (which allows schools to opt out of the requirement to provide predominantly Christian acts) since [date].
Development
[How the school wishes to develop the programme (e.g. more pupil participation), and any proposed training/support for staff.]
Date Policy compiled by: Approved by:
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 6 Appendix 3: Religious education and community cohesion1
Every school—whatever its intake and wherever it is located—is responsible for educating children and young people who will live and work in a country which is diverse in terms of cultures, religions or beliefs, ethnicities and social backgrounds.2
By community cohesion, we mean working towards a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which the diversity of people's backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and valued; a society in which similar life opportunities are available to all; and a society in which strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider community.3
The requirement on schools from September 2007 to promote community cohesion makes this aspiration particularly significant. From September 2008 Ofsted has included community cohesion as an important focus of Section 5 school inspections.
Religious Education (RE) provides a key context for children and young people to develop their understanding and appreciation of diversity through the study of religious and non- religious beliefs. It helps to promote shared values, respect for all, and to challenge racism and discrimination. In many schools this is achieved by providing a high quality classroom experience of RE enriched by opportunities to visit and meet with representatives from communities of religions and non-religious beliefs in the local area.
Good RE will promote community cohesion at each of the four levels outlined in DCSF guidance: . the school community —RE provides a positive context within which the diversity of cultures, beliefs and values within the school community can be celebrated and explored; . the community within which the school is located—RE provides opportunities to investigate the patterns of diversity of religions and non-religious beliefs within the local area. It is an important context within which links can be forged with different religious and non-religious communities in the local community; . the UK community—a major focus of RE is the study of the diversity of religions and non-religious beliefs which exists within the UK and how this diversity influences national life; . the global community—RE involves the study of matters of global significance recognising the diversity of religions and non-religious beliefs and its impact on world issues.
1 From: http://news.reonline.org.uk/rem_art21.php 2 DCSF Guidance on the duty to promote community cohesion July 2007 DCSF-00598-2007 3 Ibid.
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 7 Where RE provides an effective context to promote community cohesion it has a focus on “securing high standards of attainment for all pupils from all ethnic backgrounds, and of different socio-economic statuses, abilities and interests, ensuring that pupils are treated with respect and supported to achieve their full potential.”4 In order to achieve high standards, pupils’ progress in the subject should be monitored carefully and any under- achievement by particular groups tackled.
The role of RE in promoting community cohesion has been a major focus of Ofsted’s subject survey inspections during 2007/08.
Survey evidence suggested that RE is making a good or outstanding contribution towards community cohesion and this is now one of the distinctive strengths of the subject. In most schools, pupils were clear RE was one of the main contexts in which to develop their understanding of diversity and the importance of respect towards others—key threads of community cohesion. In some cases, pupils spoke powerfully about the way RE teachers were models of anti-racist attitudes in the school.
In most schools in the survey RE was making a significant impact on pupils’ understanding of, and attitudes towards, religious and cultural diversity. Pupils recognised two aspects of RE as important. First, RE provides much of the knowledge and understanding essential to an appreciation of diversity and the impact of faith in people’s lives. Second, RE was a ‘rare’ opportunity to express opinions and explore ideas and matters relevant to community cohesion.
In the best cases, schools had given careful thought to the way the subject can contribute to the promotion of community cohesion and had audited its impact alongside that of other subjects. Occasionally this work linked to wider involvement with interfaith networks or local authority and SACRE initiatives, although this was rare.
In some of these, RE additionally provided an important context for building bridges into the local community as part of the school’s wider commitment to engagement and extended services.
Examples of good practice seen in schools include: . providing opportunities to explore controversial issues related to religion and belief in the modern world—including misrepresentations of religion in the media . providing opportunities for representatives of ‘hard to reach’ religious communities to work with the school and develop confidence that their traditions were respected . providing opportunities for pupils with strong religious and belief commitments to share their experience in a safe context and see that their faith is valued and respected
4 Ibid.
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 8 . providing enrichment activities, including fieldwork and visitors, designed as opportunities for first hand engagement with diversity of religion and belief in the local area.
Successful approaches linking RE to community cohesion.
. ‘Off-timetable’ theme days or assemblies related to, for example, Holocaust Memorial Day, often working in partnership with other subjects, most notably, citizenship. In one school the headteacher had used RE as a context for analysing patterns of religious/cultural diversity in the area, forging links with local mosques and between mosques and local churches, using these links to develop extended school and family learning opportunities.
. A school with a white mono-cultural intake had twinned with a school with a high percentage of pupils from the Muslim tradition to extend the curriculum enrichment opportunities for RE.
. Using focussed RE theme days to extend opportunities for pupils to explore cultural diversity in more depth, using visitors.
. A school in another white mono-cultural area which had investigated the range of parents with ‘global’ experience and invited them to contribute to RE and beyond. Another had built links through a local interfaith network project.
In order to evaluate the way RE is contributing to this important aspect of school life, schools might consider the following questions.
. Do pupils value the subject and do they recognise the contribution it makes to their understanding of different communities and ways of life?
. Do pupils have real opportunities to explore and gain first-hand experience of diversity of religion, belief and culture?
. Does RE provide a context to build relationships with the communities in the local area and particularly those groups who might be hard to reach?
. Does RE provide a voice for minority groups within the school, developing a culture of mutual respect and harmony?
. Does the school treat religions and non-religious beliefs seriously and model ways of building respect?
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 9 . Does the school know enough about the diversity of religions and non-religious beliefs within the local community and does it explore ways of making links with those communities? . If the school is mono-cultural, how well is RE working to foster a broader awareness of cultural and religious diversity?
. Is the school providing enough opportunities for fieldwork and enrichment activities to extend the potential of RE to promote community cohesion?
Alan Brine - November 2008
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 10 Appendix 4: Towards a satisfying vision of life?5
Not only will Britain soon have slogans on some of its buses doubting the existence of God, but the American Humanist Association have now launched their own campaign, to run in Washington, DC. NEIL RICHARDSON, himself an ordained Anglican priest, reflects on the British campaign’s pros and cons—and even feels encouraged.
I was very interested to read about this project, which arose from the “Comment is Free” blog in the Guardian newspaper and is inspired by the writings of Richard Dawkins, who wrote The God Delusion, published in 2006. Professor Dawkins is a biologist and a fellow of New College, Oxford. The official website for the campaign gave the following raison d’être:
The Atheist Bus Campaign launches today, Tuesday October 21 2008. With your support, we hope to raise £5,500 to run 30 buses across the capital for four weeks with the slogan: THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.
Professor Richard Dawkins, bestselling author of The God Delusion, is officially supporting the Atheist Bus Campaign, and has generously agreed to match all donations up to a maximum of £5,500, giving us a total of £11,000 if we reach the full amount—enough for a much bigger campaign. Our campaign partner, the British Humanist Association, will administer all donations.
With your help, we can brighten people’s days on the way to work, help raise awareness of atheism in the UK, and hopefully encourage more people to come out as atheists. We can also counter the religious adverts which are currently running on London buses, and help people think for themselves.
As Richard Dawkins says: “This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think—and thinking is anathema to religion.”
5 Published on the Gay and Lesbian Humanist website, © Pink Triangle Trust 2008. http://www.gayandlesbianhumanist.org/November%202008/Atheist%20Bus.htm
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 11 My reaction was threefold. I was amused, irritated and encouraged!
Amusement
I was amused by the “probably” word! Is that the best they can do? I thought. Surely they can be a bit more downright. Then I went to the bookshop to find a book rebutting the work of Richard Dawkins and I found one by Keith Ward, who is a professor of divinity at Oxford University and was elected as a fellow of the British Academy on the day that Professor Dawkins was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. His book is entitled Why There Almost Certainly Is a God and bears the same softly-softly approach. Apparently, Dawkins insisted that the word “probably” should be in the slogan for academic accuracy’s sake.
If that is the best atheists and people of faith can do, why bother? At the level of academia and philosophy, it all seems a subtle balance of possibilities and ifs and buts. This is a far cry from the bitter world of accusations that contemporary antagonists occupy. According to Dawkins, all the ills of humanity stem from belief in a god, a belief that is irrational and harmful. Where’s the “probably” in all this, please?
Irritation
Then I was irritated by the campaign, which is yet another attempt to influence the way we think and believe, yet another attempt to make people change their views in favour of somebody else’s precious alternatives. I have never felt comfortable with religious campaigns, especially those evangelical Christian campaigns that appeal to the emotions at the expense of the rational, and equate human disability with demon possession and evil forces.
This is exactly what the atheists think all faithful people are like, and they are quite wrong! Or is it that this is a slur upon people of faith that atheists would like to keep in place, for the convenience of their own arguments, despite much evidence to the contrary?
I feel that we need to keep the currently overworked word respect in view in this debate. It is possible to hold different views and still respect each other. However, not all participants agree! Christopher Brookmyre, the award-winning Scottish novelist, has written, “The notion that faith—belief in spite of an absence of proof or even in the face of compelling contrary evidence—is a form of mental and moral fortitude needs not merely to be challenged, but to be given the full point-and-laugh treatment, so that we can see afresh how this absurdity deserves ridicule rather than reverence.”
I fear that, as the bus advert campaign unfolds, there will be many similarly unhelpful responses from people of faith.
I have to say that my reaction to this campaign is the same as to the religious campaigns: please leave me alone and stop interfering with my life.
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 12
And I don’t recognise the point of the slogan. The existence of a God doesn’t make me more or less prone to worrying or failing to enjoy life. If anything, belief in a God who saves brings a life less prone to worry. I just don’t get it. At some level, campaigning atheists look very much like people revisiting the sixth-form debates of their own youth, embarrassingly as outmoded as the Christian or other faith bigots who try to make everyone believe what they believe.
Encouragement
Then, finally, I felt encouraged. Here, in this bus advert campaign, born out of an act of aggression towards faith and people of faith, we have been presented with an opportunity to talk. I am hopeful that eventually the campaign will lead many people to discuss the matters deeply, rather than shouting abuse at each other. If this campaign is the opening of the door to discussions, then the atheists in our community will have done us all a favour by creating a welcome approach to the faith community and one that we should accept and find space to make happen in every community in the land.
Dawkins’s phrase “thinking is anathema to religion” is about to be proved not only wrong, but feebly incapable of giving due credit to the contribution to human welfare that people of faith have made over many centuries.
It has been said that human experience in all its richness and variety, from the tragic to the ecstatic, is the crucible of religion and faith. The atheists may regard faith as harmful or irrational, but, in any event, we all share the same human experiences and it is in those shared experiences that we have a common ground, something we can all talk about, and hopefully extend each other’s grasp a little towards reaching for a satisfying vision for life and living together.
Neil Richardson
Ealing SACRE briefing: January 2009 13