Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education

To view agendas and minutes for this committee please follow this link: https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/schools-education-and-learning/schools-and-colleges/religious-education-and-sacre       The purpose of the Waltham Forest SACRE is:-   1. To advise the Local Authority (LA) on matters connected with collective worship in community schools and the religious education (RE) to be taught in accordance with the local agreed syllabus in community and voluntary aided schools. SACRE also provides advice to Academy, Independent and free schools within the LA boundary.   2. SACRE may respond to other matters regarding religious education which the borough may refer to the SACRE, or as the SACRE may see fit e.g. challenging the provider with regards to opportunities to study the subject, training of staff, and standards of achievement.   3. a. SACRE is the local body to agree a “determination”, for a particular school, on application by the Headteacher. Whilst the Law requires the majority of acts of collective worship in schools, to be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character, the Act also gives to SACRE the power to amend this requirement by a determination and put in its place an alternative form of collective worship, for some or all pupils.   b. SACRE may appoint a sub-committee to exercise this role which will consist of the chair, the vice chair and one representative of each SACRE group.   4. To work with and actively support the Borough in implementing the Waltham Forest Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education.   3. The work of SACRE will be achieved in partnership with the interested parties by:-

a) Being given information about the existing provision for RE in schools, i.e. levels of staffing, resources, curriculum used, progress data, achievement and results.

b) Providing support for RE within the LA and to schools, subject to available resources

c) Publicising SACRE’s role and function to Headteachers, Governors, Teachers, Parents, Academies, Free Schools, Independent Schools and the wider Faith Communities and the local community as a whole.

d) Advising those in c) about the nature of RE, its legal requirement in schools and their responsibilities for ensuring its provision.    

e) Supporting and fostering community cohesion, citizenship and interfaith and cultural links

f) Encouraging members of SACRE to lead and participate in training activities

g) Advising resources for the support of the WF Agreed Syllabus and the promotion of good citizenship, community cohesion and interfaith links

h) The Council keeping up to date with national developments from HMI, Ofsted, and DfE with regard to the development and teaching of RE and provision for collective worship

i) Offering advice, support and participation in the Borough’s complaints procedure when appropriate/on request.

j) Discussing in a local context national policy, in relation to RE.   5. (i) To publish an annual report (as per Circular 1/94) which shall:- a) Specify any matters in respect of which SACRE has given advice to the borough b) Broadly describe the nature of advice given c) Where any matter was not referred to the SACRE, give SACRE’s reason for offering advice d) Report on the public examination results in RE / RS for the previous school year e) Report on activities undertaken to promote and develop RE and collective worship in the borough’s schools and community f) Describe work towards the production of/ review of/modification of the Waltham Forest Agreed Syllabus g) Describe work done by SACRE to promote community cohesion in the LA.   (ii) SACRE may appoint a sub-committee to carry out this function which must include representatives of all four groups.