The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) met on Wednesday 10 June 2026 to approve collective worship determinations for three schools and receive updates on various initiatives. The council approved the renewal of determinations for Brecknock and Torriano Schools Federation, Rhyl Community Primary School, and Regent High School, allowing them to adapt their collective worship to better reflect their diverse pupil populations.

School Collective Worship Determinations

SACRE considered and approved the renewal of collective worship determinations for three schools. These determinations, granted for five years, allow schools to adapt their collective worship to better reflect their pupil population and community, moving beyond the statutory requirement for it to be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character.

• Brecknock and Torriano Schools Federation: Rose O'Brien, representing Torriano School, presented the joint application. Brecknock Primary School has a majority Muslim pupil population, while Torriano Primary School has a majority non-religious population, followed by Muslim and Christian pupils. The federation's approach, underpinned by their status as Rights Respecting Schools, focuses on shared values such as mutual respect, environmental awareness, and understanding one's place in society. Pupils are provided with opportunities for reflection, meditation, or prayer, accommodating both religious and non-religious engagement, and major faith festivals are celebrated. The RE Professional Advisor, Claire Clinton, noted that pupils were highly engaged during observations, particularly in assemblies focusing on ecology and the environment, with positive feedback received. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) framework was highlighted as a key driver in promoting understanding of children's rights and respect for different beliefs, including humanism.

• Regent High School: Helen Young, a committee member and representative from Regent High School, presented their application. The school's pupil demographic is approximately 75% Muslim, 13% Christian, with a growing number identifying as having no faith. The determination was sought to ensure collective worship was not solely Christian-focused. Collective worship is delivered through assemblies and tutor time, focusing on assigned values and themes developed collaboratively with senior leaders. Key questions are used to encourage student reflection, with themes followed up in tutor programmes. The RE Professional Advisor reported that the school's approach had been reviewed and strengthened, with a revised model now firmly in place. Observations showed significant improvement, with all PSHE teachers involved in delivering themes, fostering a cohesive, team-based approach. Helen Young confirmed that annual training would continue, with a focus on new tutor staff, and that links were actively made between collective worship and the GCSE RE curriculum.

• Rhyl Community Primary School: Due to the absence of a school representative, the RE Professional Advisor summarised Rhyl Community Primary School's application. The assembly observed, led by the Headteacher, focused on Red Cross Week and the power of helping, incorporating the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems, the story of the Good Samaritan, the golden rule, and quotes from various holy books. Pupils were actively involved, and the collective worship was described as strong. The determination was sought due to a large Muslim pupil population, aiming for meaningful collective worship for that demographic. The Chair noted the positive inclusion of Christian narratives within a global context.

SACRE members agreed to approve all three applications. The RE Professional Advisor would notify the schools, and the Clerk would issue formal letters confirming the grant of the determinations for five years.

Faith Forum Update

Halima Khanom, a representative from the Camden Faith Forum, provided an update on their activities. The Forum has been hosting coffee mornings to foster connections between faith representatives across the borough, highlighting the importance of these meetings, especially during challenging times for interfaith relations. The Cohesion Fund, a small grants programme for organisations promoting interfaith engagement, is receiving a healthy number of applications for diverse projects.

In response to recent anti-Semitic events coinciding with Ramadan gatherings, the Forum has hosted Safer Stronger Together meetings, bringing together voluntary, community, and faith sector partners. The new Leader of the Council attended one such meeting, underscoring the significance of this work. A faith leadership team is being established to discuss concrete actions beyond dialogue, with SACRE identified as a key partner for preventative, education-based work. The Forum also participated in the Million Acts of Hope campaign, with family collages and banner making events. Future plans include continued activities to foster connections, exploring the concept of 'third spaces', a summer fete, and the Sukkah of Sanctuary event. Meetings are also planned to discuss future interfaith initiatives with schools, building on the success of primary school interfaith conferences.

The RE Professional Advisor noted that the Vice-Chair had been actively involved with the Interfaith Forum, developing ideas and attending various settings, including schools. This engagement has led to increased invitations for contributors to visit schools and the development of ongoing relationships with other SACRE members. The Chair welcomed this as strong evidence of the positive impact of the Forum's work.

Update on National Association of SACRE (NASACRE) Conference 2026 in Liverpool

Claire Clinton, the RE Professional Advisor, provided an update on the NASACRE Conference. Recordings of the two main speakers would be circulated, with the autumn term meeting earmarked for discussing ideas stemming from these presentations. Workshops following the conference, led by Camden officers and the RE Professional Advisor, were well-received. An innovative idea shared at a conference workshop involved faith leaders engaging children in their congregations to identify what they would want to show or tell friends about their place of worship, which had led to positive improvements in how faith leaders engaged with schools.

Camden SACRE Priorities 2025-26

The RE Professional Advisor reported that the RE and Collective Worship monitoring form had been distributed to all primary and secondary schools, with returns expected by the end of the summer term. Analysis of these returns would inform future SACRE support. A pupil survey for the following year was proposed to gather feedback on the new RE curriculum, and a member suggested a parent survey to provide a comprehensive view from teachers, pupils, and parents. The RE Professional Advisor noted that a parent project from the Faith Belief Forum website, offering free resources to support RE literacy, could be explored with RE leaders.

Camden RE Newsletter & Networks

An update was provided on the Camden RE News and Network Meetings. The secondary RE meeting was scheduled for the following day with a good turnout confirmed. Secondary teachers also had the opportunity to attend a joint network meeting in Newham featuring the previous Deputy Ofsted Lead speaking on high-quality Key Stage 3 RE curriculum. Primary network meetings had seen varied attendance, with the next one featuring a new Buddhist representative. Rachel Davie, Director of Learning & Impact from Camden Learning, explained that network meetings were regularly promoted through headteacher bulletins and network leads, and that communication strategies were under review.

2026 Interfaith Primary Camden Conferences Evaluation Results

The RE Professional Advisor reported on the successful interfaith conferences for primary schools, highlighting positive evaluations from pupils and teachers. 18 primary schools attended, exceeding expectations, attributed to strategic promotion and early communication of dates. The next phase of evaluation would assess how teachers used the provided resources and films back in their schools. Rachel Davie commended the significant logistical and organisational work involved. A member noted that some teachers reported gaining a better understanding of their own pupils through the conferences. Funding has been secured to run the conferences again next year, which involve philosophical thinking in the morning and opportunities for pupils to meet people from different beliefs in the afternoon. The conferences have also led to 30 additional contacts for places of worship and increased school engagement with community members.

National Updates

The RE Professional Advisor stated that a group had been working to bring the sector together to propose RE's inclusion in the national curriculum. The report was submitted to the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP, who responded positively, acknowledging the collaboration and expressing a desire to continue working with the sector. The Secretary of State also responded directly to pupils' letters, expressing pleasure at hearing from young people passionate about RE and its contribution to developing knowledge of different faiths and cultures.

Future Meeting Dates

The meeting dates for the 2026/27 academic year were noted, with a provisional change to the 9 June 2027 meeting date to be confirmed. The next meeting would be held fully in-person.