Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education

Within its statutory responsibilities Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) is concerned to support and enhance the provision of religious education (RE) within Cumbrian schools where the agreed syllabus is in use. It encourages the provision of high quality in-service training for those whose responsibility it is to deliver RE.

The SACRE function and duties are to:

provide advice to the local authority and schools on collective worship and RE in accordance with the agreed syllabus
advise the local authority on how to monitor the provision and quality of collective worship and RE in Cumbrian community schools and foundation schools without a religious character
advise the local authority on any complaints concerning RE or collective worship
consider any requests from community schools or foundation schools without a religious character to lift the legal requirement to hold a daily act of collective worship of a broadly Christian character for some or all of the pupils at that school. Such applications are to be made by the headteacher after consultation with the governing body. If SACRE agrees, the school is granted a 'determination' for five years, after which the school can reapply and the determination must be reviewed
require the local authority to review the agreed syllabus by convening an Agreed Syllabus Conference in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3, Schedule 31 to the Education Act 1996
publish an annual report about its work

We are also required to publish an annual report on its work which should:

specify any matters on which it has advised the local authority
broadly describe the nature of that advice on any matters which were not referred to it in the first place by the local authority

Section 391 of the 1996 Education Act requires every local authority in England and Wales to constitute a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

Duties of the local authority

Establishing a SACRE has been a legal requirement for every Local Authority (LA) since 1988. The LA is legally obliged to ensure that:

there is a functioning SACRE with all four committees represented
there is professional and financial support in place for SACRE to carry out its duties
there is an Agreed Syllabus for RE which is reviewed at least once every five years
it consults with SACRE on any issues to do with RE and collective worship
it takes note of, and responds to, any advice it receives from SACRE

How SACRE is set up

A Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) consists of four committees each representing a different group or 'constituency':

Group A: Christian denominations (other than the Church of England) and other faiths
Group B: Church of England
Group C: Teacher Associations
Group D: Local Authority (LA)

Cumbria SACRE aims to have:

Group A: Representation from Catholicism, Methodism, Quakerism, United Reformed, nonconformists, Free Churches, Churches together and other faiths including but not limited to Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Sikhism
Group B: Representatives nominated by the Diocesan Board of Education
Group C: Representatives nominated by teacher unions and other professional bodies
Group D: Elected Members appointed by each of the main political parties

In addition SACRE can co-opt members who have a particular interest and/or specific expertise in religious education (RE). Co-opted members do not have voting rights.

Each of the four committees has equal voting rights: one vote per group. Decisions within a group about how that vote is to be cast do not require unanimity.

Each committee has to regulate its own proceedings. Therefore, on those occasions where a formal vote is necessary each committee has one vote.