The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) of Hounslow Council was scheduled to discuss national and local updates concerning Religious Education, review membership, and consider the dissemination of policy and guidance. The meeting's agenda also included updates on the Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC) and action planning.

National Updates

The council was scheduled to receive updates on national initiatives impacting Religious Education. This included information from the National Association of Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (NASACRE), with feedback on a recent In conversation with NASACRE event and plans for the annual NASACRE conference in Liverpool on 18 May 2026. The report pack indicated that Stacey Burman, the RE Advisor, might attend this conference, with potential funding support from the council.

Discussions were also anticipated regarding the teaching of Sikhi in RE lessons, with Baldeep Kaur expected to provide input. A report on this topic had been published, recommending the inclusion of a Sikh Advisory Board. Furthermore, the Religious Education Council (REC) is reportedly working on support for Dharmic or Indic faiths, including Jainism, to address inconsistencies in provision.

A significant item was the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which proposed the inclusion of Religious Education in the National Curriculum. The Department for Education (DfE) indicated this would be considered if a consensus could be reached across the RE community. Dr Vanessa Ogden is leading efforts to establish this consensus, with the aim of reaching an agreed position by the end of March. The proposed framework includes disciplinary skills and aims to align with locally agreed syllabuses.

Local Updates

Locally, the council was set to receive updates on teacher sessions, which are held prior to SACRE meetings. An interfaith calendar, created in memory of Lesley Prior, a former RE Advisor, was also to be discussed. This initiative involves primary schools submitting artwork from their pupils on themes such as An event that is important to you / a celebration of your life. A judging panel would select the final artwork for design, with the calendar dedicated to Lesley Prior and including dates of religious and secular events.

The council was also scheduled to review workforce data concerning the hours spent teaching RE in secondary schools. The recommendation is that RE should constitute 5% of curriculum time. The data, though unverified, suggested that most schools appear to be delivering a full course for RE at GCSE, with some achieving excellent results. A proposal was to be considered for SACRE to write a letter of congratulations to two Local Authority schools for their RE results.

Membership and Governance

The meeting was scheduled to include an update on membership and attendance, with a list of new potential members including Kazim Maroofi (Shia), Lubna Khan (Head Teacher), Anastasia Ravenall (Primary Teacher), Fali Madon (Zoroastrian), and Hedson De Castro (SEND specialist teacher). Members were reminded to ensure they were signed up to GovHub, the council's digital platform for communication and document sharing.

The council was also to address the dissemination of Policy and Collective Worship Guidance, with Stacey Burman and Annabel Thody listed as leads for this item. The minutes of previous SACRE and Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC) meetings held on 22 January 2026 were to be approved, along with matters arising from these meetings.

Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC)

The agenda included the second meeting of the ASC. This session was planned to include sharing and clarification of the National Content Standard (NCS) by Stacey Burman via GovHubs. The ASC minutes from 22 January 2026 indicate that discussions revolved around the current syllabus, Widening Horizons, and potential revisions or replacement. Ofsted's feedback on RE lessons, which highlighted a tendency towards simplistic views of religions and a lack of focus on non-religious worldviews, was a key consideration. The ASC minutes suggest a preference for curriculums based on meaningful questions rather than thematic or siloed approaches.

Action Planning and Future Meetings

Action planning was on the agenda, which was to include a budget update from Annabel Thody. The date for the next meeting was to be confirmed, with potential dates in September or October 2026.

The council was also to consider any other urgent business. Members were reminded of the importance of declaring interests, with guidance available in the MO Guidance on Declaring Interests - March 2025 document.