Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education

What the SACRE does

• The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) advises us on the provision of religious education and collective worship.
• We develop ways of supporting schools in delivering the religious education syllabus. We develop and maintain links with local and national faith communities.
• SACRE also produces advice to support schools at times of local, national or international difficulty.

SACRE membership

A SACRE is made up of four groups to reflect different local faith communities and a wide range of interests and talents.

These groups are:

• Group A: Christian denominations (other than the Church of England) and representatives from a wide range of other faiths and beliefs representative of the borough's communities.
• Group B: the Church of England.
• Group C: teachers' professional associations.
• Group D: elected members from Lewisham Council, representatives of our Executive Director for Children and Young People and governors of Lewisham schools.

Members of these groups are nominated by their respective organisations.

SACRE meetings

Lewisham SACRE meets approximately four–five times a year.

The meetings are often held in a local place of worship in order to enhance members’ knowledge and understanding of faiths other than their own.

At the meetings, members discuss issues relating to religious education in Lewisham schools and other educational establishments and monitor the delivery of that education.

We welcome contact and visits from representatives of interested organisations or individuals to our meetings.

Contact SACRE

You can contact SACRE by emailing the RE adviser Denise Chaplin at denise.chaplin@lewisham.gov.uk.

You can also write to Denise or the SACRE, c/o School Improvement Team, Third floor Laurence House, Catford SE6 4RU.

SACRE constitution and advice for Lewisham schools

SACRE’s constitution can be found at Appendix 6, page 462 of Lewisham Council’s constitution.