Cognus is commissioned by the London Borough of Sutton to maintain a Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) on their behalf.
Sutton’s SACRE provides advice to local authority school’s (not including Voluntary Aided or Voluntary Controlled Schools) on all aspects of its provision for Religious Education (RE), including:
- Reviewing and developing the local agreed syllabus for RE which local authority schools are required to use.
- Providing a termly newsletter with information about meetings and training events and the activities of the SACRE
- Providing advice and dissemination of good practice from SACRE’s RE consultant on matters relating to training for teachers in RE and Collective Worship.
- Holding regular networking and training for school RE Co-ordinators
- Providing advice to the local authority school’s on Collective Worship
- Considering requests from Headteachers to hold Collective Worship that is not of a broadly Christian character
For SACRE’s annual reports and meeting agendas and minutes, visit the Sutton Council Website
New Initiatives
The Widening Inclusion in Religious Education (WIRE) Award has been launched in 2019, which encourages schools to apply for an award after completing a series of activities which include taking pupils to places of worship and holding an RE event in school
A Faith Ambassadors scheme has also recently been started whereby Primary schools can request a visit from older pupils who will talk about various aspects and practices of their faith.
The RE Consultant for Sutton schools is Mrs Penny Smith-Orr and can be contacted on pennysmithorr@gmail.com