The Doncaster Council Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) met on 13 November 2025 to discuss several key items, including the appointment of a chair and vice-chair, the approval of terms of reference and constitution, and reports on the RE Subject Leader Network, SACRE school engagement, and the draft annual report. Due to the meeting being inquorate, decisions on the appointment of a chair and vice-chair were deferred to a future meeting. Members also reviewed the terms of reference, discussed ways to support religious education in schools, and considered the draft annual report.

Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair

The first item on the agenda was the appointment of a chair, followed by the appointment of a vice-chair. However, Jane Reed, Head of Education and Skills, advised that the meeting was inquorate¹, meaning that it did not have enough members present to make valid decisions. As a result, the board agreed to table the appointment of both a new chair and vice-chair to a future meeting.

Approval of Terms of Reference and Constitution

The council was scheduled to discuss and approve its Terms of Reference and Constitution. These documents outline the statutory responsibilities, membership, and administrative arrangements of the SACRE, ensuring it operates within the law and current guidance issued by parliament and the Department for Education (DfE). The Constitution and Terms of Reference detail the composition of the four groups represented on the SACRE:

• Group A: Christian and other religious denominations
• Group B: The Church of England
• Group C: Associations representing teachers and head teachers
• Group D: The Local Authority

Due to the meeting being inquorate, the approval of these documents was deferred to a future meeting.

RE Subject Leader Network

The council was scheduled to discuss the RE Subject Leader Network. At the previous meeting on 31 July 2025, Jane Reed provided an update on kickback funding from schools buying syllabus resources, explaining that a 10% rebate to the local authority would be utilised by SACRE to establish a network of subject leaders. The aim is to bring individuals together to share best practices and develop professional relationships. Due to the meeting being inquorate, the discussion of this topic was deferred to a future meeting.

SACRE School Engagement

The council was scheduled to discuss SACRE School Engagement. At the previous meeting on 31 July 2025, members discussed increasing engagement and forming relationships with schools to encourage more of Doncaster's schools to provide RE at GCSE level and to increase the number of pupils choosing RE as an option at Key Stage 4². It was suggested that this should be discussed further at a future meeting following the publication of the 2025 GCSE results. Due to the meeting being inquorate, the discussion of this topic was deferred to a future meeting.

Draft Annual Report

The council was scheduled to discuss the draft annual report. The Doncaster SACRE Annual Report 2024-25 provides an overview of the SACRE's work during the 2024-2025 academic year, including:

• Religious Education (RE) in schools
• Collective Worship
• Links with other bodies
• SACRE's own arrangements

The report also includes a summary of the four SACRE meetings held during the year, including the meeting on 31 July 2025, where Jane Reed presented 2024 GCSE RE results, noting low student uptake but performance in grades 9–4 was on par with national averages, while grades 9–5 lagged behind. SACRE plans to monitor 2025 results and encourage greater school participation. Due to the meeting being inquorate, the discussion of this topic was deferred to a future meeting.

Specialist Report

The council was scheduled to receive a specialist report from Pennine Learning. Pennine Learning was commissioned to implement the new RE syllabus from 1 September 2025. To support the transition to the new Locally Agreed RE syllabus, Pennine Learning delivered a launch event and two webinars. These sessions introduced the new locally agreed RE syllabus and offered practical guidance to subject leads and headteachers. The launch event also provided valuable opportunities for teachers to network, share ideas, and build connections across schools. Through structured training and collaborative engagement, Pennine Learning ensured that school leaders were well-supported in understanding and implementing the changes with clarity and confidence. Due to the meeting being inquorate, the discussion of this topic was deferred to a future meeting.