Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE)

The Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) is responsible for determining the syllabus for religious education (RE) in council run or funded schools in Waltham Forest. By law each Local Authority (LA) is required to establish a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

“We want the education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one’s own feet.” Swami Vivekananda, Hindu monk

Every maintained school in England must provide a basic curriculum (RE, sex education and the National Curriculum). Religious Education is a statutory subject of the basic curriculum whilst not being part of the National Curriculum.

Religious education in schools celebrates the diversity of religious and human experience.The role of a SACRE is to:

  • advise the LA on matters connected with religious education (RE) in community schools and foundation schools which do not have a religious character
  • ensure RE is taught by the local Agreed Syllabus
  • advise the authority and its teachers on matters concerning collective worship
  • determine on behalf of the LA whether it is appropriate for the requirements to provide daily collective worship according to the legal requirements to be modified for all or some of the pupils of the school
  • produce and publish an Annual Report of its work

Further information about Waltham Forest’s syllabus is available on Waltham Forest Council's website.

In order that they can bring a wide range of interests and talents to this work, a SACRE is made up of four groups:

  • Group A Christian denominations (other than the Church of England) and other faiths represented within the LA. In Waltham Forest, this group has representatives from a wide range of faiths and beliefs
  • Group B The Church of England
  • Group C Teachers' professional associations / teachers in the LA
  • Group D The Local Authority, which in Waltham Forest includes: Elected Members from the Majority and Minority parties; a representative of the LA; and representatives of Governors of local schools

Members of these groups are nominated by their respective organisations.

SACRE constitution

Agendas and minutes of previous meetings 

Contact the clerk of the group 

Agreed Syllabus

Our Agreed Syllabus is a document available to all schools in Waltham Forest. A public reduced version of this document can be found here. If you are a school within Waltham Forest, you can download a full version from our Partner Website here.

 

Annual Reports

All SACREs are required by law to produce an annual report. A copy of the report is sent to National Association of SACRES (NASACRE). This report contains information about standards in religious education in the borough, examination results, applications for determinations and any INSET provided for teachers, as well as accounts of other SACRE activities.

Waltham Forest SACRE annual reports

Religious Education Meetings 2023

 

Collective Worship: how to comply with the law and benefit all your pupils

Audience: Governors, Head Teachers, Teachers in schools with responsibility for Collective Worship, SACRE members

Date: 22 November 2023

Time: 6-8pm

Venue: Zoom

Providing all registered pupils with a daily act of collective worship is a legal requirement for all schools. This can be a challenge in a diverse borough like Waltham Forest, where many different religious and non-religious beliefs are represented; but it is one that can be overcome to the benefit of all.

This session is exclusively for those working in or with schools in Waltham Forest and will:

  1. Clarify the law surrounding collective worship in schools
  2. Share examples of how schools make arrangements for collective worship
  3. Share examples of best practice in collective worship
  4. Consider the link between collective worship and SMSCD and how schools can maximise on this

Governors' Briefing

Date: Wednesday 4 October 2023 - Book your place here

Guidance

Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education

Download

Collective Worship guidance for schools

Download

Ramadan Guidance for schools

Download
Last update: Thursday 7th of March 2024 10:42:45 AM