Standing Advisory Council

What is a SACRE / SAC?

Every academic year each Local Authority across Wales (and the LAs in England) hold termly meetings of a Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE). The main function of a SACRE is to "Advise the Local Authority on matters related to Collective Worship in schools and on the Religious Education given in accordance with their Agreed Syllabus." A Locally Agree Syllabus is the Religious Education curriculum for a community school and some Voluntary Controlled Church Schools in a Local Authority.

The Agreed Syllabus remains the curriculum for schools until SACRE advise the LA to review or publish a new Agreed Syllabus. The current Agreed Syllabus were adopted in 2008 based on a National Exemplar Framework, it was reviewed and readopted by SACREs in 2013 and 2018. SACRE are currently advising and supporting the LA to produce a new Agreed Syllabus to begin when the Curriculum for Wales becomes statutory in September 2022.  These are currently in the process of consultation and will be published before the end of the Summer Term.  From September 2022 SACRES will be known as Standing Advisory Councils (SAC’s).

Each Local Authority SACRE/ SAC is made up of three committees:

• • Committee A: Representatives from different Christian denominations and other religions and belief systems reflected in the traditions of that area;

  • Committee B: Teacher representatives;

  • Committee C: Local elected members representing the Local Authority.

SACREs discuss a wide range of matters in relation to Religious Education and Collective Worship from a local, national, and international perspective. SACREs also receive termly updates on the work of the Welsh Association of SACREs (WASACRE). The role of WASACRE is to provide a platform for the exchange of good practice and to represent the aims, work, and views of its member SACREs. Use the link above to keep abreast of the latest information shared by WASACRE to teachers and those interested in Religious Education and Collective Worship.

SACREs/SACs can support you and the teaching and learning of RVE in your school settings by offering support and guidance and opportunities for learners to converse with religious and non-religious individuals.   Please use the details below to express and interest in joining and/or utilising your local SACRE/SAC 

SAC Clerk Contact Details