The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) met online on Monday 8 June 2026. Key discussions included preparations for the Agreed Syllabus Conference, the monitoring of RE standards in local schools, and the proposed Kingston and Richmond SACRE Award for Quality Religious Education. The council also received updates on national RE developments and reviewed its forward plan and meeting schedule.

Agreed Syllabus Conference Preparations

Preparations for the Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC) are underway, with the current Kingston syllabus licensed for use until the end of the 2027/28 academic year. Helena Moore, Lead Improvement Advisor for Curriculum at Achieving for Children (AFC), reported that a school survey had been conducted to gather feedback on the current syllabus. While responses were limited, they were generally positive, and areas for development identified by schools will inform future RE network meetings. The timeline for the ASC is dependent on national curriculum decisions, which are still pending. Stephen Peirce, an advisor at RE Today, confirmed that the Department for Education (DfE) has not yet provided clarity on the status of RE within the national curriculum. The local authority intends to appoint the same members of SACRE to the ASC.

Monitoring Standards of RE and Collective Worship

The council discussed data on GCSE Religious Studies examination results and teaching hours for schools in the borough. Jane Whittington, representing the Diocese of Guildford, expressed disappointment at the wide discrepancy in GCSE RE entry numbers, noting that the syllabus recommends students take GCSE RE. It was clarified that while faith schools are required to teach RE, academies are not always bound by the SACRE syllabus for secondary education. Stephen Peirce explained that academies are legally required to teach RE, but not all adhere to this, and some may offer small option groups for GCSE Religious Studies. Helena Moore confirmed that the AFC team had not agreed to utilise School Improvement Partner (SIP) visits for monitoring RE, but they were open to promoting and reminding schools to complete other monitoring forms.

Kingston and Richmond SACRE Award for Quality Religious Education

The council considered the implementation of the Kingston and Richmond SACRE Award for Quality Religious Education and appointing RE practitioners as assessors. Helena Moore noted that the award had been developed with input from Rachel Phillips and Fiona from Richmond SACRE. A discussion ensued regarding the budget for the award, as historically, assessors were volunteers and there was no allocated budget. Jane Whittington recalled that a previous sticking point was covering supply costs for teachers to attend assessments. Stephen Peirce advised that the West Hill Foundation grants might not be suitable for this award due to its limited scope, suggesting that projects need to have a broader impact and legacy. Several members, including Kieran Wood and Shamma Khan, expressed interest in becoming assessors. The council decided to defer approval of the framework pending further exploration of funding options and potential collaborative models with Richmond SACRE. Helena Moore will investigate budgetary requirements and report back at the next meeting.

RE Today Updates

Stephen Peirce provided an update from RE Today, highlighting a NATRE analysis of new-style Ofsted reports which indicated that RE is mentioned in approximately half of the reports, often in the context of personal development and wellbeing rather than curriculum depth. He also noted a policy paper from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government that recognises the role of SACREs and RE in social cohesion. Updates were also given on the Jerusalem Trust grants for teaching Christianity, the NASACRE conference, the Westhill/NASACRE Awards, and the NATRE primary survey, with a deadline of 31 July for schools to participate. Information was also shared on Jewish Culture Month and Inter Faith Week, along with upcoming training opportunities from NASACRE and RE Today. Helena Moore agreed to send out the NATRE survey link to schools.

Forward Plan and Meeting Schedule

The council reviewed its forward plan, noting the upcoming election of a Chair and Vice-Chair and the approval of the annual report at the October meeting. The meeting schedule for the next academic year was confirmed, with the annual meeting on Monday 19 October 2026 to be held in person at the Guildhall, and a further in-person meeting planned for Monday 8 March 2027 at a place of worship or school. Provisional dates for subsequent meetings will be announced later in the year.

Other Matters

The meeting also included a moment of reflection for co-opted member Simon Birch, who had passed away. Updates on SACRE membership were noted, including the appointment of Councillor Helen Milestone, Councillor Callum Morrissey, and Councillor Sarah Wait-Sillett as local authority representatives. Helena Moore announced she would be moving on from her role at AFC at the end of the academic year. The council also confirmed that all members had signed the Declaration of Acceptance of the Code of Conduct.