Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE)
This section contains the following information about the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE):
Purpose
a) The law states that religious education (RE) must be taught in all schools. However, RE is not part of the National Curriculum, it is a local responsibility.
b) Every Local Education Authority (LEA) is required by section 390 of the Education Act 1996 to have a SACRE.
Composition
a) It is desirable that all members have an interest in education in general and in religious education in particular. The SACRE shall include representatives of the following groups:
i) Christian and other religious denominations which appropriately reflect the principal religious traditions in the area. In Lancashire these are determined on the basis of numbers indicated by the most recent census:
| The Roman Catholic Church | 3 Representatives |
| The Free Church Federal Council | 4 Representatives |
| Islam | 5 Representatives |
| Hinduism | 2 Representatives |
| Judaism | 1 Representative |
| Sikhs | 1 Representative |
| Buddhism | 1 Representative |
ii) The Church of England 5 representatives
iii) Recognised Trade Unions representing 4 representatives teachers
iv) The Authority 5 representatives
b) The representative groups on the SACRE may appoint a further five coopted members.
The SACRE may make recommendations to the Authority in respect of its composition.
Terms of Reference
a) To advise the Authority upon such matters connected with the religious worship in community schools or in foundation schools which (within the meaning of Part II of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998) do not have a religious character and the religious education to be given in accordance with an agreed (or other syllabus in accordance with Schedule 19 to that Act) as the Authority may refer to the SACRE or as the SACRE may see fit.
b) The matters referred to in (a) above include in particular methods of teaching, the choice of materials and the provision of training for teachers.
c) The SACRE shall each year publish a report with respect to the exercise of their functions. A copy of the report will be uploaded to the RE website and sent to the Department for Education, NASACRE, nominated bodies and all Lancashire Schools. The report shall, in particular:-
i) Specify any matters of which the SACRE have given advice to the Authority;
ii) Broadly describe the nature of the advice given;
iii) Where any such matter was not referred to the SACRE by the Authority, give the SACRE's reasons for offering advice on that matter
d) To require the Authority (on a vote of the representative groups representing the Church of England, other denominations and teachers' associations) to review the agreed syllabus by convening a statutory conference every five years in accordance with the provisions of Para 3, Schedule 31 to the Education Act 1996.
e) In accordance with Section 394 of the Act to consider applications made by the headteacher of any community school maintained by the organisation or any foundation school which has not been designated under Section 69(3) of Schedule 20 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, as having a religious character, whether it is appropriate for the requirement for Christian collective worship to apply in the case of the school or in the case of any class or description of pupils at the school. Such applications to be made by the headteacher after consultation with the governing body.
f) The SACRE also has within its powers to discuss any matter related to its functions as it sees fit and may therefore include the provisions of RE & Collective Worship in Academies and Free Schools in its discussions or address such matters as may be referred to it.