The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) of Ealing Council met on Thursday 18 June 2026. The meeting agenda included discussions on school determinations for collective worship, a review of SACRE membership and workplan, and updates on national and local developments in Religious Education. Presentations were also scheduled on the Ealing Agreed Syllabus and Farmington Scholars.

Collective Worship and Determinations

The meeting was scheduled to consider applications for school determinations regarding collective worship. The report pack indicated that SACRE members were scheduled to review applications from Stanhope Primary School and Lady Margaret Primary School. These schools were seeking to lift or modify the requirement for their collective worship to be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character.

For Stanhope Primary School, the application was for a renewal of a previously granted determination. The school's application highlighted its commitment to an inclusive, values-based approach to collective worship and reflection, noting a significant proportion of its pupils are Muslim. The report detailed the school's parental consultation process, which indicated no objections. A visit report from SACRE member Su Larson noted the school's programme and recommended the renewal of its determination.

Lady Margaret Primary School was also applying for a renewal of its determination. The school's application emphasised its diverse community, with a majority of pupils from Muslim and Sikh backgrounds. The school's approach to collective worship and reflection was described as inclusive and respectful of a wide range of faiths and worldviews. A visit report from SACRE member Sinead Galbraith commended the school's programme and recommended the renewal of its determination, with a suggestion to further develop moments of silent reflection within assemblies.

The meeting also included an update on the list of school determinations across Ealing, providing an overview of existing determinations and their expiry dates.

SACRE Membership and Workplan

The council was scheduled to review its membership for the 2025-2026 academic year, noting current vacancies and representation. The SACRE Workplan for 2025-2026 was also presented, outlining scheduled reports and agenda items for the year's meetings.

National and Local Updates

Updates were provided on national developments concerning Religious Education, including a national review of Religious Education and challenges such as teacher recruitment and training. The role of RE Hubs and Interfaith Week were also highlighted.

Local updates included the introduction of Charlotte Lannigan and Juron Hakim as Ealing's Farmington Scholars. Charlotte Lannigan was scheduled to present her research on primary RE curriculum design, and Juron Hakim was scheduled to discuss his work exploring the impact of inclusive representation in the Ealing RE curriculum on pupils' identity and sense of belonging.

Agreed Syllabus Update and Farmington Scholars

The meeting was scheduled to include an update on the Ealing Agreed Syllabus Conference, detailing progress on the review and collaborative work with Haringey. Feedback from teachers regarding curriculum vocabulary, planning structures, and classroom resources was to be discussed. The importance of reflecting the diversity of Ealing communities and the potential incorporation of worldviews into future syllabus developments were also noted.

Presentations were scheduled from the Farmington Scholars. Charlotte Lannigan was to share her research on Progression with purpose: an analysis of Primary RE curriculum design, and Juron Hakim was to present his study on Exploring how inclusive representation in the Ealing RE curriculum impacts pupils' identity and sense of belonging.

The meeting also touched upon the upcoming Ofsted framework and its implications for RE inspections, noting that inspections would continue to be based on the current legal framework and locally agreed syllabuses. Resources for teachers were also mentioned.

The next meeting of the SACRE was scheduled for 29 September 2026.