Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Partnerships and Performance

Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Partnerships and Performance which sought approval to the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education for use in Coventry schools over the next five years (2024-2029).

The report  indicated that Local Authorities have a statutory duty to set up and maintain a ‘Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education’ (SACRE) whose duties include giving advice to the LA on the Religious Education (RE) given under the Agreed Syllabus, and to monitor the provision and quality of Religious Education provided by the Agreed RE syllabus in the Local Authority’s Community Schools (LA maintained schools that do not have a religious character).

The LA also has a statutory duty to set up and appoint members to an occasional body that is required to review the locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education every five years known as the Agreed Syllabus Conference. All Community, foundation and voluntary aided or voluntary controlled schools in Coventry without a religious character must teach RE according to the locally agreed syllabus adopted by the LA. Academies and schools which do have a religious character may also use the locally agreed syllabus. 

The previous Agreed Syllabus for Coventry and Warwickshire was due to run until 2022. However, due to the impact of the pandemic it was agreed to extend the existing license until the end of the 23/24 academic year to provide stability for schools. It was also agreed that working with Warwickshire had been beneficial for both Local Authorities, and that this would continue for the next Agreed Syllabus.

In 2018 the Commission on RE published its final report which recommended a new approach to RE based on worldviews, rather than the existing world religions paradigm. Coventry and Warwickshire Agreed Syllabus Conference agreed that the new Agreed Syllabus should reflect this shift and also include more of a local flavour, both of which could be achieved by commissioning a fully bespoke syllabus.

The proposed Agreed Syllabus has been funded by Coventry and Warwickshire Local Authorities as well as Farmington Institute. In addition, the syllabus structure forms part of a national project for the Religious Education Council.All schools (academies and LA maintained schools without a religious character) will be given access to the Agreed Syllabus through a password-protected website, which was also the arrangement for the 2017 – 2022 Agreed Syllabus.The Agreed Syllabus Conference on 30 November 2023 agreed to recommend the final draft of the new Agreed Syllabus to Cabinet.

A corresponding private report detailing confidential financial and business matters was also submitted for consideration (Minute 99 below refers).

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves the Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education for use in Coventry schools over the next five years (2024 – 2029) as appended to the corresponding private report.