Committee details

Constitution

The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) is established in accordance with Section 11 of the Education Reform Act 1988 (as amended by Section 255 of the Education Act 1993) by Bracknell Forest Borough Council acting as Local Education Authority.

Membership Structure

The Authority shall appoint the members of the SACRE (other than co-opted members or any member representing grant maintained schools) so that they shall represent the following groups:

Terms of Office

·                     Members of SACRE shall serve from the date of their appointment until their successors are appointed by the Authority. They shall be eligible for re-appointment.

·                     Any member who fails to attend three consecutive ordinary meetings of the SACRE other than for a reason approved by the SACRE shall cease to be a member.

·                     The validity of the proceedings of the SACRE, or any of its representative groups, shall not be affected by a vacancy in the membership or on the ground that a member does not at the time represent the denomination, religion or association he or she was appointed to represent.

Duties and Powers

·                     The SACRE shall advise the Authority on such matters connected with religious worship in Bracknell Forest schools and the religious education to be given in accordance with an agreed syllabus as the Authority may refer to it or as it may see fit.

·                     The SACRE shall, in particular, advise on methods of teaching, the choice of materials and the provision of training for teachers.

·                     The SACRE shall, on an application made by a headteacher of any county school after consultation with the governing body, consider whether it is appropriate for the requirement for Christian collective worship to apply in the case of that school, or in the case of any class or description of pupils at that school. The SACRE shall arrive at its decision and communicate it to the headteacher in accordance with the provisions of Section 12 of the Education Reform Act 1988.

·                     The representative groups on the SACRE, other than that representing the Authority, may at any time require a review of any Agreed Syllabus for the time being adopted by the Authority.

·                     The SACRE shall, each year, publish a report on its proceedings and those of its representative groups. The report shall specify any matters on which the SACRE has given advice to the Authority and the reasons for offering the advice.

·                     The SACRE shall take any action assigned to it by the Authority in relation to the consideration and disposal of any complaint concerning collective worship or religious education in compliance with Section 23 of the Education reform Act 1988.

Procedure

·                     The SACRE shall elect annually at its first meeting in the academic year, a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman from among its members.

·                     On any questions to be decided by the SACRE, only the representative groups shall be entitled to vote, and each group shall have a single vote.

·                     The SACRE shall regulate its own proceedings and may establish committees for specified purposes. Such committees may include persons who are not themselves members of the SACRE. In any matter, which falls to be decided by the members of any particular category, the members of that category may regulate their own proceedings.

·                     The SACRE shall determine the frequency of its own meetings so long as it meets on no fewer than two occasions in any academic year.

·                     The Clerk to the SACRE shall be the Director of Education of the Authority or his representative.

·                     The Director of Education or his representative(s) shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the SACRE and of any committees it may establish and to speak but not to vote.

·                     The Authority shall meet the costs of operating the SACRE and any committees it may establish.