The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) of Hounslow Council was scheduled to discuss national updates on Religious Education, local initiatives including an interfaith calendar, and the ongoing review of the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. The meeting's agenda also included updates on membership and the dissemination of policy and collective worship guidance.

National Updates

Stacey Burman, the RE Advisor, was scheduled to provide updates on national matters. This included information from the National Association of Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (NASACRE), with a report expected on her attendance at the NASACRE conference. The agenda also noted a discussion on Sikhi in RE, with Baldeep Kaur expected to contribute. A significant item was the Curriculum and Assessment Review, referencing the government's White Paper, Protecting what Matters, which proposed the inclusion of Religious Education in the National Curriculum. The report pack indicated that a consensus across the RE community was being sought for any proposed changes to the National Curriculum.

Local Updates and Initiatives

Local updates were to be presented by Stacey Burman and Councillor Annabel Thody. These included information on ongoing teacher sessions and an update on the interfaith calendar being created in memory of Lesley Prior, a former RE Advisor. This initiative involves primary schools submitting artwork from pupils on themes of personal significance or celebration, with the final designs to be incorporated into a calendar that will also list religious and secular event dates.

Agreed Syllabus Review

A key item on the agenda was the second meeting of the Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC). This meeting was scheduled to include sharing and clarification of the National Content Standard (NCS) via GovHub. The ASC's previous meeting had discussed potential decisions regarding the current syllabus, Widening Horizons. Options included sticking with the existing syllabus, making amendments, or designing/purchasing a new one. Feedback from that meeting suggested a preference for options that would align with the ongoing national curriculum changes, with a focus on developing a curriculum based on meaningful questions rather than thematic or siloed religious teaching. The report pack indicated that further exploration of models for selecting knowledge and content would be undertaken.

Membership and Policy Dissemination

The council was scheduled to receive an update on its membership, including potential new members such as Kazim Maroofi (Shia), Lubna Khan (Head Teacher), Anastasia Ravenall (Primary Teacher), Fali Madon (Zoroastrian), and Hedson De Castro (SEND specialist teacher). All members were reminded to ensure they were signed up to GovHub. Additionally, an update on the dissemination of Policy and Collective Worship Guidance was to be provided by Stacey Burman and Councillor Annabel Thody.

Action Planning and Future Meetings

The agenda also included a review of action planning, with a budget update from Councillor Annabel Thody. The date for the next meeting was to be confirmed, with potential dates in September or October 2026. An item on Any Other Urgent Business was also listed, which was to include further discussion on the National Content Standard.

The meeting was scheduled to take place at Heathlands School, Wellington Road South, Hounslow, TW4 5JD. The report pack also included detailed guidance on declaring interests for committee members, referencing the council's Members' Code of Conduct and relevant regulations.