The Somerset Council SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education) met on Wednesday 1 October 2025, hearing a presentation from Councillor Tim Kerley about his spiritual journey, receiving updates on the new Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (RE), and discussing the RE budget. The council agreed to add the word 'draft' to the front page of the new Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC) document to clarify that it is not yet a final version.

Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC) Update

Shell Sullivan, ASC Committee Chair, and Rebekah Guy, Vice-Chair, provided an update on the new Agreed Syllabus Conference (ASC) document. SACRE members were reminded that the document is a draft, agreed by ASC, for consultation with schools and is not for them to approve. Following a suggestion from SACRE members, the council agreed to include the word 'draft' on the front page of the document to clarify that it is not a final version.

The updated draft ASC document was shared with SACRE members, with Ms Sullivan confirming that it would remain confidential until 22 October, when it will be formally released.

Key points from the update included:

• Document Structure & Content: The revised ASC document is significantly shorter, with much of the original content now moved into appendices. The contents page is still to be completed. Red text in the document highlights local aspects of the work. Emphasis was placed on rigorous scholarly methods, and the importance of religious literacy in a pluralistic society and the need to highlight diversity were considered essential.
• Curriculum Design: The curriculum is built around three key elements: Substantive, Disciplinary, and Conceptual. There is a shift away from the traditional world religions model toward a disciplinary and conceptual framework. Planning steps and alignment with the National Content Standard in RE were discussed, with emphasis on ensuring teachers meet required standards through curriculum and assessment review.
• Locality & Implementation: The Locality Unit page has been reduced to a single page. Units are still in development, with this year serving as a consultation period. The official launch is planned for September 2026. SACRE members were reminded that schools are required to teach Christianity, and that Voluntary Aided (VA) schools will follow the same syllabus. This is also a funding requirement for academies¹.
• Exemplars & Resources: Two exemplar units were discussed: Localities (currently present in Year 7, but absent in Years 8 and 9, which was identified as a sequencing issue, not a content gap) and Understanding Christianity (mapped using NATRE resources by Ms Sullivan, and currently being trialled in six primary schools). Stories will be used, particularly in primary units, to support engagement and understanding in young children.

• Training & Support: SACRE members highlighted the importance of including School Governors in the training. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) standards were discussed, and training for primary schools will be included. Members were asked to consider the syllabus across various age groups and to notify Ms Sullivan of any grammatical corrections needed.

  Alison Jeffery highlighted the importance of recognising the local nature of religion. The Religion and Worldviews approach aims to equip children with critical thinking skills to investigate and interpret religious and non-religious worldviews, and SACRE members were reminded that this approach applies to both primary and secondary curriculum.

RE Advisors Update

Ms Sullivan and Ms Guy provided updates on their work as RE advisors. Ms Sullivan reported that she has been working on the ASC and supporting unit writers, as well as working with primary schools in her Trust. She is also a subject facilitator for RE trainees, hoping to increase the numbers of RE teachers. Ms Guy reported that most of her time has been spent on the work for the agreed syllabus and support for ASC unit writers. She has also met with Wells Cathedral and is working with their local officer looking at local concepts, supporting Hub leaders for the first meeting in November, and presented at RE Leaders meeting and brief overview of the process we have been through drafting the ASC. She is also working with Oak Academy to map out resources.

Oak Academy/Jigsaw RE

Ms Guy and Ms Sullivan reported that they have met with Adam Robertson from Oak National Academy (an online platform), and they mapped out where links between our exemplars and what has been mapped for Oak. They noted that if teachers used the Oak resources as they are then it would involve too much PowerPoint, therefore it is important to explain to teachers how active learning needs to be included, but the Oak resources are still really useful for teachers to use. Links to Oak learning have now been included for teachers to use to start trying out the agreed syllabus. Mr Robertson will be at the launch days.

The South West advisor for RE for the Jigsaw company had emailed implied they were working together with Ms Sullivan and Ms Guy, however this is not the case and their request to attend the launch was declined. During the training it will be important to highlight to schools that there is no need to spend money on these extra systems.

RE Hubs

The RE hubs website - South West was shared with SACRE members, which contains useful information which Ms Guy regularly directs teachers to. Unfortunately, there is only one Place of interest listed for Somerset - Wells Cathedral. SACRE members were asked to make Ms Guy aware of any other places of worship that could be added, and she stated that she will be contacting the Yeovil mosque.

Budget Update

Alison Jeffery provided a budget update, noting that a lot of Ms Sullivan and Ms Guy's time has been spent on the ASC work and as a result the budget re people power has increased. Halfway through the financial year, Ms Jeffery is predicting to balance the budget with a small contingency for unexpected spend. At December's meeting Ms Jeffery will confirm if there is any flexibility on the contingency, and if additional units need to be written and money is available then this could be done.

Worldview of a SACRE Member

Councillor Tim Kerley shared his personal spiritual journey, which began with his birth into a devout Catholic family and was shaped by early loss, disability, and a lifelong sense of injustice. These experiences sparked a questioning nature and an early engagement with metaphysical ideas.

Councillor Kerley described how his religious identity shifted through childhood and education, leading to confusion and a sense of spiritual displacement. By adolescence, he began to reject traditional religious beliefs, driven by a desire to understand the world through science and reason. University studies in history, philosophy, and theology further challenged his beliefs, but rather than extinguishing spirituality, these disciplines opened new avenues of thought. He said that a turning point came through cosmology and quantum theory, where the mysteries of the universe reignited a sense of awe and spiritual curiosity.

Councillor Kerley quoted astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, who likened scientific discovery to theologians waiting at the summit of understanding, which profoundly impacted him.

It suggested that science and spirituality might converge at the limits of human knowledge. This led to a shift for Tim from atheism to active agnosticism, embracing the possibility of something beyond comprehension.

Councillor Kerley now identifies as spiritual but not religious, finding meaning in the shared themes across world religions, especially the duality of human nature. He values the humility of scientists who acknowledge the boundaries of empirical knowledge and believes that science, while powerful, cannot fully explain or disprove spiritual truths. He finds peace in uncertainty, liberation in open-mindedness, and fascination in the metaphysical.

Councillor Kerley's experience prompted further discussion amongst SACRE members around the role of science and religion.

Councillor Sarah Wakefield, Lead Member for Adults Services, Housing and Homelessness, volunteered to provide her Worldview for the next SACRE meeting.