Every council must have a Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) by law. This is responsible for advising the council on religious education (RE) and collective worship in its schools.
Although RE is not a national curriculum subject, the 1988 Education Reform Act confirmed that it is a compulsory part of the curriculum for all students.
What SACRE does
- Requires Barnsley Council to review the RE agreed syllabus every five years. The next revision will be in 2025.
- Monitors the provision of RE and collective worship in Barnsley schools.
- Produces an annual report including the work of SACRE and Barnsley schools.
- Considers applications from headteachers for their school to be released from the requirement for collective worship to be 'wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character'. This is known as a determination.
- Supports RE teachers.
- Supports governors with a responsibility for RE.
How SACRE works
The Barnsley SACRE meets once every school term. It has four main committees:
- Christian and other religious denominations reflecting the principal religious traditions in the area (Group A)
- Church of England (Group B)
- Teaching associations (Group C)
- Council representatives (Group D)
SACRE membership
These are the current members of SACRE:
Group A
Christian and other religious denominations to reflect the principle religious traditions in the area (10 places):
- Imam Abdul Aziz (Barnsley Mosque)
- Mrs Linda Stammers (Methodist – Barnsley Circuit)
Group B
Church of England (5 places):
- Mrs Jo Wiles (Chair) (Leeds Diocese)
- Mrs Jenny Witty (Vice Chair) (Leeds Diocese)
- Mrs Gillian Bunn (Leeds Diocese)
- Mrs Nina Platts (Leeds Diocese)
- Mrs Carol Turner (Leeds Diocese)
Group C
Teaching Association (5 places):
- Mrs Kelda Evans (NEU)
- Miss Helen James (NEU)
- Mrs Sarah Lees (NEU)
- Mrs Rosie Needham (NEU)
- Mrs Jane Race (VOICE)
Group D
LA Representatives (5 places)
- Councillor Pauline Markham
- Councillor Tim Shepherd
- Councillor Sarah Tattersall
- Councillor John Wilson
- Councillor Pauline McCarthy
Co-opted
- Miss Jill Woollands (NEU)
Adviser
- Roger Holmes