The Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) of Brent Council was scheduled to discuss updates on Religious Education (RE) and the National Association of SACREs (NASACRE). The meeting was also set to address membership changes and elect a new Chair and Vice Chair.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

The council was scheduled to undertake its annual election for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair. These appointments were intended to cover the 2026-27 academic year, with future elections to be held at the final SACRE meeting of each preceding academic year. The local authority had agreed not to exercise its right to appoint the Vice Chair, leaving this decision to the SACRE members.

Membership Update

In accordance with section 4 of the Brent SACRE constitution, a review of SACRE membership was scheduled following the local government elections held on 7 May 2026. The current membership list was provided for review.

RE Update

An update was expected from the SACRE Advisor, Nadia Nadeem, on general SACRE and Religious Education (RE) related issues. This update was to include information on the NASACRE update.

The report pack indicated that a significant development was the intention for RE to be formally included in the National Curriculum for the first time in England. This move follows reported consensus among religious, belief, and education representatives. The aim is to establish a stronger national entitlement for RE, reducing variation in what pupils receive, while still allowing schools to build upon these requirements. All schools, including faith schools, are expected to meet this national entitlement, with faith schools retaining the freedom to add depth according to their ethos. The specific content of the RE curriculum is not yet finalised, with a consultation expected in September 2026. The report highlighted that SACREs will remain important during this transition period, continuing to provide local advice, annual reports, community links, advice on collective worship, and support for schools.

The report also noted that qualifications reform is on a longer timeline, with GCSE Religious Studies reform anticipated for first teaching from 2029/2030, and AS/A-level reforms from 2031/2032. In contrast, Wales has already made Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) mandatory for ages 3-16 as part of its Curriculum for Wales, with a pluralistic, objective, and critical approach covering religious and non-religious philosophical convictions. The parental right of withdrawal has been removed in Wales as the Curriculum for Wales has rolled out.

NASACRE Update

The SACRE was scheduled to receive an update from Nadia Nadeem, the SACRE Advisor, regarding NASACRE. This update was expected to cover NASACRE's response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which welcomed the move to place RE on the National Curriculum. NASACRE has supported the staged approach proposed in the review, aiming to safeguard the involvement of SACREs and representatives from religion and belief communities in the process. Forthcoming training opportunities for SACRE members were also to be highlighted, including sessions on Being an Effective SACRE Clerk and What might a SACRE want to use from the new Oak National Academy resources? .

Any Other Business

Under this agenda item, the council was scheduled to note the dates of future meetings. These were planned for Thursday 8 October 2026 and Thursday 4 February 2027. The report pack also indicated that members would continue the practice of seeking to hold at least one meeting in person each year, at either a place of worship or a school.