Agenda item

Report of the Group Director of People

The Group Director of People submitted a report (previously circulated) for Members to give further consideration to the review of the Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education in Darlington.

Following the recommendation of the Standing Advisory Council at the meeting held on 8 February 2021 to commence the review process, the submitted report outlined four options for consideration and the budget allocated to the production of an Agreed Syllabus of £5,000.

It was highlighted that the Local Authority is required to produce a Locally Agreed Syllabus for use in its maintained schools, which is four in Darlington; however the options paper also explained the different costs for academies who may adopt the Syllabus if they so wished.

The submitted report outlined the four options and gave details of each option including the cost to primary academies, the cost to secondary academies; and the total cost to the  Local Authority.  The total cost of the options ranged from just below £2,000 up to £25,000 for a bespoke new Syllabus.

Members discussed the options in detail which included three options from RE Today Services and a further option to purchase a Syllabus from a regional partner which has been used by Durham and other Local Authorities.

Anne Davison, SEND Inclusion Advisor and Lead Officer for SACRE, advised Members that the Training and Development Director of RE Today Services  had offered to meet with Members and present in more detail the options available from RE Today Services.

Discussion also ensued on the involvement of the maintained schools in discussions on a preferred option and it was agreed that they be invited to the presentation from RE Today Services.

IT WAS AGREED – That Members receive a presentation from RE Today Services to outline the options 2 and 3 (Syllabus A and B) in more detail before any further decision can be made.