The Rutland SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) is scheduled to meet on 7th October 2025, to discuss membership, network meetings, grant funding, and the SACRE constitution. Councillors will also review the Rutland SACRE Development Plan 2023-28 and the work plan for 2025-2026.

SACRE Membership

The Rutland SACRE is scheduled to appoint a new chair and vice-chair for the municipal year 2025-2026. Councillors will also review the current membership and identify any vacancies.

The members of the Rutland SACRE are divided into four groups:

• Group A: Representatives of faiths other than the Church of England, with a maximum of 8 representatives.
• Group B: Church of England Representatives, with a maximum of 4 representatives.
• Group C: Teacher Representatives, with a maximum of 6 representatives.
• Group D: Local Education Authority Representatives, with a maximum of 3 representatives.

According to the Constitution Rutland SACRE 2025-2026, a meeting can only proceed if all four groups are represented.

SACRE Constitution

The SACRE Constitution 2025-2026 is scheduled to be formally approved. The constitution states that the Rutland SACRE is an independent body that advises the local authority on matters concerning Religion and Worldviews, and collective worship in state-maintained schools.

The duties of the Rutland SACRE include:

• Advising the local authority on matters related to religious education (RE), following the locally agreed syllabus, and on collective worship in schools.
• Considering applications from headteachers for schools to be released from the requirement for collective worship to be 'wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character'.
• Publishing an annual report of its work.
• Providing advice on methods of teaching the Agreed Syllabus for Religion and Worldviews.
• Advising the local authority on the provision of training for teachers.
• Gathering feedback and evidence from inspection reports and exam entries and results on Religion and Worldviews, Collective Worship and Personal Development.
• Considering complaints about the provision and delivery of Religion and Worldviews and Collective Worship referred to SACRE by the local authority.
• Contributing to community cohesion and safeguarding of young people and children.

Rutland SACRE Development Plan 2023-28

The Public reports pack includes a review of the Rutland SACRE Development Plan 2023-28. The planning and development sub-group is scheduled to provide updates on the following strategies:

• Promoting improvement in the standards, the quality of teaching and provision in RE. The members of this group are Daniel Alfieri, Gurdev Singh and Kieran Hughes.
• Promoting improvement in the provision and quality of collective worship. The members of this group are Reverend James McWhirter, Megan Davis and Madeleine Gilbert.
• Contributing to cohesion across the community and the promotion of social and racial harmony. Councillor Kiloran Heckels, Councillor Steve McRobb and Sheila Gewolb are members of this group, and an update is scheduled to be received from Amanda Fitton, RE Adviser.

Other Business

• Amanda Fitton, RE Adviser, and Daniel Alfieri are scheduled to provide a verbal update on managing network meetings.
• Amanda Fitton, RE Adviser, is scheduled to provide a verbal briefing on grant funding.
• Members of SACRE are scheduled to provide verbal updates on any training they have attended.
• Councillors will review and update Rutland SACRE's Work Plan for 2025-2026.
• Councillors will confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 3rd June 2025¹.