Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE)
Why is there a SACRE in each Local Authority?
In 1944, Local Education Authorities were empowered by law to set up a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) In 1988, the Education Reform Act made it a legal responsibility for them to do so.
What are the duties of SACRE?
Who sits on the SACRE?
The composition of the SACRE is defined by law. It is made up of four committees.
What is the distinctive contribution of each committee?
Committees A and B:
Committee D:
How often must a SACRE meet?
There are no requirements to meet for a certain number of times but meetings are usually held once a term. More meetings may be scheduled if the business is considered to be urgent or requiring more discussion time than is possible in the regular meeting/s.
It is important to attend because no decisions can be made unless there is at least one person present from each committee in order to cast that committee’s single vote. Co-opted members do not have a vote.
How is the SACRE managed?
It is the LA’s responsibility to set up a SACRE and this implies it also has a duty to fund it. Funding for SACRE’s varies across the country, but in this authority there is no specified budget. The SACRE applies for funding as and when it identifies a need. To date, all requests for funding made by the SACRE have been granted.
The SACRE is serviced by a clerk, provided by the LA, who is a contact within the authority for SACRE matters, takes minutes of the meetings and provides administrative support.
The LA can make the decision on how the chair of SACRE may be appointed or it may allow the SACRE to choose the chair from amongst their members.
What is an Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC)?
An ASC is convened in order to produce an Agreed Syllabus for RE. It is a separate legal entity from a SACRE. Although a review of the locally Agreed Syllabus is required within five years of the last review, if the majority of the committees (other than Committee D) ask the LA in writing to reconsider its Agreed Syllabus it must convene a conference for that purpose.
An ASC:
The chair of the ASC can be appointed by the LA or the LA may allow the ASC to choose its own Chair. The LA’s responsibility to convene the ASC implies a duty to provide funds for its work.
What other activities might the SACRE be involved in?
Why is there a SACRE in each Local Authority?
In 1944, Local Education Authorities were empowered by law to set up a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) In 1988, the Education Reform Act made it a legal responsibility for them to do so.
What are the duties of SACRE?
- advise the LA on matters relating to RE and collective worship in community schools and some other schools;
- oversee RE and collective worship within the authority: advise on methods of teaching, choice of materials and provision of teacher training;
- require a review of the LA agreed syllabus (by law every 5 years);
- consider applications for a ‘Determination’ – Headteachers may request that their school is released from the statutory requirement to provide collective worship which is wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character if it is deemed inappropriate in respect of some or all of a school’s pupils;
- publish an annual report which must be made available to the Director and all schools;
- monitor RE, collective worship and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development;
- consider complaints about the provision and delivery of RE and collective worship, referred by the LA.
Who sits on the SACRE?
The composition of the SACRE is defined by law. It is made up of four committees.
- Committee A: Representatives of Christian denominations e.g. the Roman Catholic Church, Free Churches, Baptist, Methodist, United Reformed Church, Salvation Army, Society of Friends. It also contains representatives from other faiths, e.g. Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Baha’s. Humanist representatives cannot be members of Committee A, but can be co-opted to the SACRE as additional members.
- Committee B: Representatives nominated by the local Church of England dioceses.
- Committee C: Representatives of teacher associations. The LA decides which teacher associations will be represented. They may approach the teacher unions, but it is possible that associations of RE teachers in the local area will be asked to provide a representative.
- Committee D: The LA provides their own representatives for this committee. The LA may wish to have all parties and viewpoints from across the political spectrum represented on the SACRE.
What is the distinctive contribution of each committee?
Committees A and B:
- Should present a positive image of their religion, so that members of the other Committees are disabused of any religious stereotypes of each denomination or religion. They must also make clear any grounds on which they may differ from each other, but also the respect they have for each other’s viewpoints – since such convictions and mutual understanding both lie at the heart of effective classroom RE;
- Can create opportunities within SACRE meetings to raise awareness of issues of sensitivity in the teaching of RE to the children of their faith community;
- Should appreciate the difficulties schools are facing in the area, support their best endeavours, and act, where necessary, as a link between schools and the faith communities.
- Have a real and positive interest in RE in primary, secondary or special schools;
- Ensure that the needs of schools and teachers are considered by the SACRE in their discussions;
- Provide the SACRE with information about the context in which RE is taught in the schools in the local authority;
- Ensure that the associations they represent are informed about the work of the SACRE;
- Create opportunities for other teachers to learn more about the work of the SACRE and give them the opportunity to have their views expressed at SACRE meetings;
- Consult other teachers on matters of particular importance to the work of the SACRE.
Committee D:
- Can bring to the meeting the breadth of educational issues and concerns which elected members are wrestling with, and place RE’s role within it;
- Can be the supporters of RE within the various committees and structures of the LA;
- Can give political support to enable locally determined RE to flourish within each LA – financial support, advisory support, etc.
- Can appreciate the issues raised by a multi-faith, multi-cultural society for the education of children in RE and reflect these issues in the Education Committee, Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet, etc. as a means of supporting RE;
- Can bring the ‘public’ dimension to the debate about RE provision and support.
How often must a SACRE meet?
There are no requirements to meet for a certain number of times but meetings are usually held once a term. More meetings may be scheduled if the business is considered to be urgent or requiring more discussion time than is possible in the regular meeting/s.
It is important to attend because no decisions can be made unless there is at least one person present from each committee in order to cast that committee’s single vote. Co-opted members do not have a vote.
How is the SACRE managed?
It is the LA’s responsibility to set up a SACRE and this implies it also has a duty to fund it. Funding for SACRE’s varies across the country, but in this authority there is no specified budget. The SACRE applies for funding as and when it identifies a need. To date, all requests for funding made by the SACRE have been granted.
The SACRE is serviced by a clerk, provided by the LA, who is a contact within the authority for SACRE matters, takes minutes of the meetings and provides administrative support.
The LA can make the decision on how the chair of SACRE may be appointed or it may allow the SACRE to choose the chair from amongst their members.
What is an Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC)?
An ASC is convened in order to produce an Agreed Syllabus for RE. It is a separate legal entity from a SACRE. Although a review of the locally Agreed Syllabus is required within five years of the last review, if the majority of the committees (other than Committee D) ask the LA in writing to reconsider its Agreed Syllabus it must convene a conference for that purpose.
An ASC:
- contains the same committees as the SACRE
- can be made up of SACRE members but need not do so - there is no provision for co-opted members.
The chair of the ASC can be appointed by the LA or the LA may allow the ASC to choose its own Chair. The LA’s responsibility to convene the ASC implies a duty to provide funds for its work.
What other activities might the SACRE be involved in?
- convene working parties of SACRE members and teachers
- produce guidelines for schools, such as: schemes of work; programmes of study; assessment guidance; resource lists including visits and visitors; policy documents; teaching and learning strategies; RE and the early years; RE and post 16; RE and SEN; SMSC; recording and reporting
- keep up to date with Ofsted reports; what is happening with SACREs in other areas (NASACRE and Analysis of SACRE reports)
- monitor action plans
- receive reports on local activities such as exam results; displays; exhibitions; ‘special days’;
- acknowledge schools on their achievements and encourage those who need it through visits; certificates; letters; invitations to talk to SACRE; listening
- visit schools to: experience an RE lesson or an act of worship;
- presentations to SACRE by teachers
- find out more about the faiths or non faith stances of: members of SACRE; the faiths identified in the agreed syllabus
- recognise and seize opportunities to raise the profile and status of RE
- ensure schools are kept up to date with both local and national initiatives and information which will support them in their situation
- address the issue of schools’ non-compliance with legal requirements
- organise SACRE training days and lectures
- ensure that the LA are fully aware of the duties and responsibilities of SACRE so that they may make informed decisions regarding policy and budget
- ensure that SACRE is represented on national bodies and at national courses/conferences
- write a development plan to ensure the SACRE ‘moves forward’ and is effective in carrying out its duties and tasks.
