York's Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) was established in 1996 as required by the 1988 Education Reform Act.
SACRE meets termly, including for the presentation of their Annual Report in December.
It's composed of 4 representative groups:
- Christian denominations, other than the Church of England, and representatives of other faiths
- the local Church of England
- teachers' associations
- councillors
Religious education syllabus
Religious Education (RE) is not part of the National Curriculum, but must be taught in schools by law. The syllabus (known as the 'Agreed Syllabus') must be produced locally.
York's Agreed Syllabus was launched in July 2016 but cannot be published on this website for copyright reasons. Email SACRE if you require further details.
SACRE's duties
SACREs are legally responsible for advising Local Education Authorities (LAs) on RE teaching and collective worship, and ensuring compliance.
The Agreed Syllabus must legally be reviewed every 5 years - this takes place at an Agreed Syllabus Conference, involving the same groupings as a SACRE.
York SACRE's aims
York SACRE aims to:
- promote a high quality Agreed Syllabus
- help teachers and schools raise standards in RE teaching
- help schools improve the quality of collective worship
- contribute towards social cohesion, particularly in respect of improving religious and racial harmony within the community
Supporting SACRE documentation
View supporting SACRE documentation:
- SACRE Constitution 2019-20
- An Introduction to City of York SACRE
- SACRE Code of Conduct and responsibilities
Collective worship
View our guidelines on collective worship:
- Collective Worship Guidance 2017
- Appendix 1: Collective Worship Model Policy
- Appendix 2: Collective Worship Determination Guidance
- Appendix 3: Collective Worship Themes
- Appendix 4: Self Evaluation of Collective Worship in York
York SACRE meetings
York's SACRE usually meets at West Offices, but sometimes, also in schools. Members of the public are also welcome to attend meetings (from 4.30pm to 6.00pm).
York SACRE will meet on the following dates in 2019-20:
- 9 December (moved to 7 January 2020)
- 31 March
- 10 June
View the SACRE meeting minutes from 7 January 2020 and the York SACRE Annual Report 2019.
York SACRE membership
Members are currently as follows:
- Chair: vacant (Olivia Seymour Interim Chair)
- Councillors: Cllr Martin Rowley; Cllr Fiona Fitzpatrick; Cllr Chris Cullwick
- Church of England: Olivia Seymour, Assistant Director, Diocese of York, Education (Distinctiveness); SIAMS Manager; Katherine Harper, Archbishop of York CE Academy
- Teachers: Claire Hennigan, Yearsley Grove Primary School; Jenny Mooney, Westfield Primary School; Sarah Griffiths, St Lawrence's CE Primary Academy
- Bahai'i: Daryoush Mazloum
- Humanist: Ian Hodgson
- Jewish: Ben Rich
- Methodist: Keith Albans
- Muslim: vacant
- Religious Society of Friends/Quakers: Tracey Copestake
- Salvation Army: vacant
- Sikh: vacant
In attendance: Mike Jory (LA Strategic Lead).