JR informed that a hub meeting has been booked on the 27th of November, awaiting a to hear from SD on meeting dates. It will be an online meeting. SD is to provide updates on a research project about literacy in RE.

EP highlighted that he will be bringing an item to the next SACRE meeting in March 2025 to request SACRE contribute some funding to LTLRE.

He also shared slides on the following points:

·       Hub leaders training (2024/5) takes place on 3/10/24, 7/3/25 and 4/7/25

·       Plymouth hub is planning to run termly hub meetings this year

KF stated that it was agreed previously (when Jonathan Marshall and Heather Ogburn were involved with SACRE) that money will be given to LTLRE. She enquired why this is not happening now and expected that perhaps it may be a processing issue.

MH replied that we're in a different financial environment as compared to few years ago. Additionally we now also have different requirements on the budget for SACRE e.g. paying to an advisor. He also added that previously most of Plymouth schools were under LA’s responsibility but due to academisation very few are now under LA’s responsibility.

KF said that LA’s are still responsible to deliver local agreed syllabus to all schools and engage on the content standards etc.

AS to put this discussion (SACRE funding for hubs and other financial commitments)

on March 2025 SACRE meeting agenda.

The Chair stated that as a Council we have a commitment to support RE in the City, but we're under financial constraints, so we need to balance that very carefully.

EP shared slides on the feedback after the recent annual conference took place on 4^th October 2024 at the St Mellion. He said that 91 delegates attended from schools in Devon, Torbay, Plymouth and Cornwall. The feedback and comments were very positive. He added that there was some work on the new syllabus that Katie ran a workshop on and other input on the new syllabus.

EP also shared slide on the ground-breaking work on Religion and Worldview Approach that was discussed in the conference. This also included working through characters like Livvi, Theo and Sophie who represent different disciplines and how these characters are helpful in taking a disciplinary perspective to the subject, and giving teachers tools to understand the subject in different ways.

RDE shared a local story about a Baptist minister in Plymouth who was imprisoned and died in prison for his faith on Drake's Island. EP commented that as a SACRE we need to engage more with people, places, culture and history. DDS said that it is a challenge to engage people in a meaningful discussions even at university level. He supported the idea of using characters to facilitate such discussions. He also suggested that Livvi may be replaced with an Anthropologist. GF said that they also took research methodologies and personified them as cartoon characters; he supported the discipline of anthropology.

MH highlighted that Plymouth has a place-based plan, that has 6 priorities and one of those is Early Language Acquisition. Another one of the priorities is building a Sense of Belonging. He added that the lead for it is Rob Williams from Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust.

CKW highlighted the lack of discussions at home these days and how parents could be encouraged to get involved in RE. The Chair highlighted the importance of a positive debate and discussion especially in the backdrop of the recent unrest in Plymouth.