SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education)

The Sheffield SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education) is a statutory body which is constituted to provide advice in relation to religious education and collective worship, including convening a locally agreed syllabus. Each SACRE prepares an annual report to the National Association of Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education.

The role of SACREs was considered by the Commission on Religious Education, who published a report (Religion and Worldviews: The Way Forward) in September 2018. The report outlined a new National Plan for RE which had three components – outlined below. Sheffield SACRE has considered this report and its recommendations carefully, especially when reviewing the Agreed Syllabus in 2020 and 2023.

1. A new vision for the subject acknowledging the role that both religious and non-religious worldviews play in all human life. The recommendation was that the subject should be called Religion and Worldviews.
2. All pupils should have access to high quality teaching, whatever school they attend. The recommendation was that there should be a National Entitlement, that all schools should publish details of how they provide this Entitlement and that it should be subject to inspection.
3. There should be a significant investment in ensuring two essential supports for this new way forward. Firstly, the report acknowledged that highly qualified and knowledgeable teachers will be required to realise their vision. Secondly, it also acknowledged the work done by SACREs in supporting RE to date and argued that this local support should continue (although perhaps in a new way).

For more information about Sheffield SACRE, including access to the Agreed Syllabus, key documents and links to resources and organisations, use the links above. Learn Sheffield works closely with Sheffield SACRE to ensure that RE professional development is available to Sheffield practitioners and support the development of SACRE as an education forum which can consider faith related content.