Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Members for Education and Skills seeking the adoption of the revised Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education once approval is formally received from the local Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE).

To accept the revised Locally Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education and require its use in all Southampton maintained schools, except those who are Voluntary Aided, from January 2017. This is as a result of the approval of the syllabus by Southampton SACRE on 19/9/2016 who recommend it to the Local Authority.

1.  Southampton SACRE have ensured that the syllabus has been revised in accordance with the statutory responsibility that they must require the LA to revise it every 5 years, or more regularly if required.

2.  SACRE members, Council officers and teachers have revised the syllabus over the past year following consultation with schools in conjunction with colleagues from Hampshire, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

1  As the syllabus was approved and is recommended to the Council for use in all maintained schools in Southampton that are not Voluntary Aided, no other options need to be considered.

2  If it was not approved, Southampton SACRE would have needed to develop another syllabus or adopt a different syllabus from another SACRE. It was decided that the syllabus was effective and therefore to review the existing syllabus given its basis in academic theory.