Role of SACREs within a National RE Strategy

British Humanist Association are members of The Religious Education Council of England and Wales.

Partners

The RE Council is the national umbrella organisation for RE and brings together the RE professional organisations and faith communities. It was the lead organisation for the last review of Collective Worship and it provided the basis for the membership of the NFRE’s Steering Group. It should have a key role in the implementation of a national strategy and would provide an ‘insurance policy’ role in relation to Government action in RE.

There are four national associations representing teachers (PCfRE), advisers and inspectors (AREIAC), teacher trainers (AULRE) and SACREs (NASACRE) all of which played very significant roles in bringing about the NFRE and are well placed to do the same for a national strategy.

The Church of England is committed to the full implementation of the NFRE and to actively assisting in the development of high quality RE in all schools - community and church alike – especially through its diocesan education teams.

The Free Churches, the Roman Catholic Church and other Churches, including the Orthodox, working especially through the Churches Joint Education Policy Committee (the Church of England is also a member), have actively supported the NFRE and see it as the first stage of a more strategic development.

Other Faith Traditions, including the Bahai’s, Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, Jews, Muslims and Sikhs welcome the increased significance and seriousness being given to RE and would see a major strategy as upholding the importance they accord to their own faith positions.

So too do Humanists in relation to their non-theistic world views.

SACREs and ASCs, as statutory bodies in every LEA, have the remarkable strength and breadth of being constitutionally rooted in the local faith, educational and political communities. This makes them vital local agents for promoting RE and for assisting faith communities acquire a fuller understanding of the nature and value of the NFRE. They are well placed to monitor the effective implementation of any National Strategy for RE. They already complement Home Office initiatives in encouraging inter faith dialogue as relevant for social cohesion.