Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education - 3 December 2025

The meeting began with the declaration that there were no conflicts of interest. The minutes of the previous Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) meeting held on 11 September 2025 were formally approved after correcting Councillor Ashton’s role in the Declarations of Interest, and were to be signed by the Chairman. The clerk noted the resignation of Elizabeth Fowkes‑Matson from SACRE and welcomed Mary Judkins, who attended her first meeting.

A budget report for the financial year 2025‑26 was presented by the Education Effectiveness Officer. He explained that several line items contain notional allocations that will be transferred between budget lines if the “assess, plan, do, review” cycle meets its success criteria, while the overall spending limit remains £15,000. The report also confirmed that funds earmarked for the Agreed Syllabus Launch had already been ring‑fenced and had not reduced other budget areas. The council resolved, on motion by Councillor Ewart and seconded by Councillor Ashton, that SACRE will use the allocated funds in line with the SACRE Improvement Plan and approved the spending intentions detailed in paragraph 11.1.

The consultants gave an update on the Agreed Syllabus, prompting a discussion that highlighted several points: a minority of faith groups expressed resistance to the syllabus’s shift toward a more holistic, world‑views‑based approach; concerns were raised about subjectivity and the distinction between religion and world‑views; examples of similar changes in Wales were noted; and the purpose of RE was reaffirmed as exploring diverse concepts, people and viewpoints. Members suggested that the new syllabus could foster tolerance, curiosity and mutual respect, emphasized that religion itself is a world‑view, and stressed the importance of critical thinking. It was also noted that SACRE has limited authority over faith schools’ curriculum emphasis, that a minimum of five percent of pupil time (approximately one lesson per week) is required to cover the syllabus, and that data on RE provision is patchy, especially at secondary level. The council accepted the consultants’ recommendation to continue improving data collection within the existing budget.

Finally, the consultants presented the SACRE Improvement Plan, which replaces the former “SACRE Action Plan.” The plan identifies priority areas such as updating the membership list, monitoring the quality and frequency of religious education and collective worship, and presenting a collective worship briefing at the next meeting. The council resolved, on motion by Councillor Ewert and seconded by Phil Rowe, that SACRE adopts the Improvement Plan for September 2025 – August 2026 and that the plan’s implications are aligned with the budget approved in April 2025. The Democratic Officer was tasked with contacting members who have not attended a meeting for twelve months and arranging replacements where appropriate.