SACRE

Staffordshire Standing Advisory Council on
Religious Education

Staffordshire Student Council supports the work of SACRE -click here to find out more

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Ofsted Self-evaluation Guide for SACREs

In keeping with the emphasis on self-evaluation to be found in the new framework for inspection in schools, Ofsted issued a guide for SACREs involved in evaluating their own practice in May 2005.

This guide is designed to help individual SACREs evaluate their role and, in particular, to consider their impact on pupils’ learning. The guidance highlights five key dimensions of a SACRE’s work and provides exemplification of good practice. It encourages all SACREs to consider their distinctive key strengths and areas for development. It challenges SACREs to consider their key priorities, their organisational patterns and structures, and their partnership with the LEA and other key stakeholders.

Staffordshire SACRE is currently undertaking a review of its own practices using Ofsted's document as a guide.

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What is SACRE?

The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education.

Why have a SACRE?

In 19944 Local Education Authorities (LEAs) were given the power to set up SACREs. The 1988 Education Reform Act made it a duty for LEAs to do so.

What does SACRE do?

RE is not part of the National Curriculum, but must be taught in schools by law. The syllabus for RE has to be produced locally (the Agreed Syllabus). SACREs have oversight of both religious education and collective worship within the LEA.

What are the duties of a SACRE?

SACRE’s main duty is to advise the LEA on religious education to be taught in accordance with the Agreed Syllabus in Community, Foundation and Voluntary Controlled schools.

SACRE also gives advice on collective worship in Community schools and other schools within the LEA which have no specific religious character (normally all except Voluntary Aided and Voluntary Controlled schools).

SACRE should also:

	require the LEA to review its Agreed Syllabus every five years
	consider requests from schools to be released from the requirement to provide collective worship that is wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character (a determination)
	publish an Annual Report of its work

How does SACRE support RE in Staffordshire?

Detail of what SACRE does in Staffordshire can be found in the Annual Report. Broadly speaking SACRE’s work involves:

	giving advice on methods of teaching the Agreed Syllabus including the choice of teaching materials
	advising the LEA on the provision of training for teachers
	monitoring inspection reports on RE and collective worship
	considering complaints about the provision and delivery of RE and collective worship referred to it by the LEA.

Who belongs to SACRE?

SACRE members belong to one of four committees:

Committee A             Representatives of Christian denominations (other than the
                                Church of England)
                                Representatives from other faiths

Committee B Representatives of the local Church of England Dioceses

Committee C Representatives of teachers’ associations

Committee D Local Councillors