The County Durham Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) met on 6 November 2025. The agenda included a report from Education Durham, and a discussion of SACRE membership. The meeting was also scheduled to include a presentation from a SACRE member about their faith and community.

SACRE Membership and Meetings

The meeting was scheduled to include a discussion of SACRE membership.

The minutes of the previous meeting on 5 June 2025 record that concerns were raised about the quoracy¹ of meetings, and the non-attendance of some members. At that meeting, the council's solicitor explained that under the constitution, the Local Education Authority (LEA) may remove a person's membership from SACRE if, in the opinion of the LEA, they cease to be representative of the denomination or association they were appointed to represent. The constitution does not allow the LEA to remove a representative due to failure to attend meetings, although where someone persistently fails to attend, they are not representing the interests of that denomination or association.

It was suggested that the LEA could be asked to consider amending the constitution to make it clear that if a member failed to attend a certain number of meetings without giving apologies or arranging for a substitute to attend in their place, they would cease to be a member. It was also suggested that the relevant organisations could be approached so they could consider appointing an alternative member.

The chair of the 5 June 2025 meeting stated that the November meeting would include SACRE Membership as an agenda item.

Education Durham Report

Sarah Blakeman, Senior Professional Learning Advisor, prepared a report for the meeting that provided a summary of the professional development and networking opportunities available to RE leaders and teachers, and detailed examples of contract support provided.

The report noted that Jenni Rawlinson, Faculty Leader for RE at Wolsingham School, was joining Durham's SACRE and the Agreed Syllabus Conference². The report also included a summary of the courses and networks offered by Education Durham:

• Termly primary RE networks (November, March and June)
• Primary RE subject day (January)
• Secondary professional conversations
• Pre-recorded courses available on demand

The pre-recorded courses available on demand are:

• Disciplinary literacy in RE
• New to leading primary RE
• What Ofsted is saying about RE

The report included booking figures as of 24 October 2025:

The report stated that since the summer term 2025, Education Durham had received 12 hours of contract requests for support with religious education. These had come from four schools and included:

• A secondary subject review including lesson visits, conversations with leaders and teachers and pupil voice, with books
• A review of planning to ensure end points are clear across the school
• Support for a new teacher to a primary school who has assumed responsibility for RE
• Support with 'preparing children for life in modern Britain' and 'developing understanding'.

The report also noted that Education Durham pays for SACRE members to access NASACRE's webinar programme.

My Faith & Community - A Personal Perspective

Pastor David Russon, the Assemblies of God representative on Durham SACRE, was scheduled to give a presentation about himself and Assemblies of God.