The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) meeting scheduled for 8 June 2026 was set to cover a range of topics concerning religious education in Wokingham schools. Discussions were planned to include national updates, the current state of religious education in local schools, and the council's development plan and budget. A presentation on Judaism was also on the agenda.

National Updates and Developments in Religious Education

The meeting was scheduled to receive updates on national developments affecting religious education, including feedback from the NASACRE conference and AGM. This would have provided insights into broader trends and policy discussions impacting RE across the country. The report pack indicated that national discussions about the future of Religious Education were ongoing, following the government's Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR). Sector bodies such as the RE Council of England and Wales, the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE), and the National Association of SACREs were working towards greater national coherence through the development of a Draft National Curriculum Programme of Study for RE. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government had also published a policy paper, Protecting What Matters: Towards a more confident, cohesive, and resilient United Kingdom, which situated RE within a wider education offer supporting cohesion and positioned faith and belief literacy as a public good.

The State of Religious Education in Wokingham Schools

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to understanding the current landscape of religious education within Wokingham's schools. This included a verbal report on How are things in Wokingham Schools? and an update on Wokingham school Ofsted inspections. The report pack noted that the new Ofsted inspection framework was being implemented, with two Wokingham schools, Early St Peters Primary School and The Forest School, having been inspected under this new framework. The report for Early St Peters was described as very positive, with mentions of the school's values and its approach to modern British life. The Catholic Schools Inspectorate report for St Dominic Savio School was also highlighted as extremely positive. Concerns were raised regarding the quality of RE teaching in schools where non-specialist teachers were delivering the subject, particularly at secondary level, and the quality of teacher training and resources for minority religions such as Judaism.

Development Plan and Budget

The SACRE's Development Plan and Budget for the upcoming financial year (April 2026-March 2027) was scheduled for discussion. The report pack outlined key aims, including maintaining full and well-informed membership, supporting teachers of RE to improve learning, and contributing to the Pan-Berkshire Hub. Actions included termly primary network meetings, a full-day training for secondary school teachers, and primary subject leader training. The budget plan detailed planned spending for core costs, project costs, and contributions to the Berkshire SACRE Hub, with a total planned spending of £9,610 for the year.

Member Presentation and Other Business

Shira Solomons was scheduled to give a presentation about Judaism. Additionally, the agenda included a discussion on minor syllabus revisions, feedback from teacher networks and training opportunities, and a review of the SACRE member visits to schools. Any Other Business (AOB) was also an item, and members were invited to volunteer to present about their faith at future meetings. The meeting also noted upcoming dates for future SACRE meetings.

Matters Arising from Previous Meeting

The meeting was also set to address several Matters Arising from the previous meeting held on 9 February 2026. These included the next steps for the Berkshire SACRE Hub, an update on SACRE membership, and the progress of a Task and Finish Group reviewing the process of developing the syllabus. A letter regarding SACRE's concern about the withdrawal of funding for RE teacher training was also to be discussed. The report pack also mentioned that resource providers were to be invited to present at future SACRE meetings.

The SACRE is a statutory advisory body established to support local authorities in fulfilling their responsibilities for Religious Education and collective worship. It is composed of representatives from various groups, including faith communities, teachers, and local authority representatives. The council's work is crucial in ensuring that religious education in Wokingham schools is objective, critical, and pluralistic, reflecting both religious traditions and the contemporary diversity of Great Britain.