Minutes:
Robin Crofts, Director of Education, introduced a report advising SACRE members on their role as it pertains to Academy schools.
Mr Crofts confirmed that Free Schools were Academies in law and had the same requirement to provide RE and collective worship.
Under the terms of their Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State, all Academies had to provide RE for all their pupils, except for those whose parents exercise the right of withdrawal. The type of RE specified in the Funding Agreement depended on whether or not the Academy had a religious designation, and for converter Academies, on whether the predecessor school was a voluntary controlled (VC), Voluntary aided (VA) or foundation school.
Other than for Academies where the predecessor school was a VC or foundation school, the model funding agreement specified that an academy with a religious designation must provide RE in accordance with the tenets of the particular faith specified in the designation. They may, in addition, provide RE that is in line with a locally agreed syllabus and teach about other faiths if they choose.
SACRE was advised that they had a statutory remit to advise the Local Authority on Religious Education to be given in accordance with an agreed syllabus and to support the effective provision of collective worship. SACRE also had within its powers to discuss any matter related to its functions as it sees fit and may therefore include the provision of RE in Academies in its discussions or address such matters as may be referred to it. An Academy or group of academies can be represented though co-option onto the local SACRE (or indeed any SACRE) if all parties are in agreement.
However, SACRE no longer had a role to monitor RE in Academies or advise the Local Authority about RE in them.
Members of SACRE discussed the report, and were mindful of the fact that SACRE was not required to monitor RE in academies. However, it was felt that SACRE could continue to offer support, should academies feel this would be useful. For example, chargeable training could be offered.