The Hillingdon Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) met on Wednesday 25 March 2026 and approved a new draft statutory syllabus for Religious Education (RE) in the borough's schools. The meeting also noted updates on national and local RE initiatives, including the development of new collective worship guidance and the progress of the CAR update.

Agreed Syllabus Conference

The council convened as the Agreed Syllabus Conference to discuss the development of support materials for the new Hillingdon Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. Members approved the draft statutory syllabus document, which outlines a framework for teaching RE based on key concepts and meaningful questions, encouraging a focus on personal and disciplinary knowledge alongside substantive content. The syllabus aims to promote a broad and balanced RE curriculum that reflects Hillingdon's diverse community and prepares pupils for life in a complex world. The launch of the new syllabus is planned for November, with dialogue to be facilitated with the Hillingdon Association of Secondary Headteachers (HASH) and primary headteachers. Non-statutory materials, including those for Early Years and pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), are also being developed.

Determinations

Stacey Burman, SACRE Advisor, provided an update on collective worship guidance, noting that sample materials are being developed in collaboration with local schools and faith groups. The proposed model aims to promote interfaith dialogue and personal reflection. A working party has been established to collate themes and trial resources. The council also discussed the process for withdrawal from collective worship, noting a proposal for automatic agreement without parental meetings, though this is not yet in place.

National Updates

Members received updates on national initiatives, including events organised by NASACRE focusing on inter-belief dialogue and community cohesion. The SACRE Advisor planned to attend the NASACRE conference in Liverpool. An update on the CAR (Curriculum and Assessment Review) was provided, highlighting efforts to achieve consensus within the RE community regarding the inclusion of RE in the national curriculum. It was anticipated that any new national curriculum for RE would not be introduced before 2028. A white paper on working towards a more cohesive United Kingdom, emphasizing the role of SACREs in community cohesion and RE education, was also mentioned.

Local Updates

Updates on local initiatives included a letter sent to the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education to raise awareness of Hillingdon SACRE's work. Dorothy Sadlik shared a positive response to her letter regarding an online Secondary Schools Interfaith Dialogue event. Suggestions were made to invite the Cabinet Member to a future meeting and to incorporate SACRE training into new member induction. The Head of Education and Lifelong Learning will update the Cabinet Member on SACRE's work.

The winners of the interfaith calendar competition, with the theme 'life events that are special to me', had been chosen, and the calendar was being sent to designers. Members were asked to check the calendar dates for any anomalies. A session with teachers had been held to review the RE syllabus, with representatives from local schools attending.

Dorothy Sadlik praised the online Schools Interfaith Dialogue event on 'Why Remember?', which focused on religious persecution and was well-received. The event may be repeated in 2027, potentially focusing on 'good and evil' and including primary-aged children. The SACRE Advisor is also working on a bespoke Hillingdon Schools' Linking Programme with the Faith Belief Forum.

Workforce data from the DfE was presented, showing the percentage of curriculum time dedicated to RE in secondary schools. It was noted that the recommended 5% is rarely met, and many schools fail to teach RE to Year 12 and 13 pupils. Examination results data indicated encouraging GCSE RE results, but a very low percentage of pupils taking RE A-levels.

Action Plan Update

The SACRE budget was confirmed at £11.5k going forward. The SACRE Advisor was owed payment for previous work, and it was emphasized that her time should be used wisely to avoid overspending. The SACRE Advisor reported involvement in conversations with the Secretary of State regarding anti-religious hate in schools. It was agreed that this topic would be added to the Hillingdon SACRE's future action plan.

Dates of Future Meetings

The date of the next SACRE meeting was changed from Tuesday 30 June 2026 to Wednesday 8 July 2026.

The meeting was held at Guru Nanak Sikh Academy, and Mr. Jaskamal Singh Sidhu, Headteacher, was thanked for hosting.