c/o Religious Education Council of England and Wales, Northgate House, North Gate, New Basford, Nottingham, NG7 7BQ
NASACRE’s object is the advancement of education through the development of religious education and collective worship in schools and communities in England, with, through and alongside Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education (SACREs), including but not limited by:
i) Services, education, advice, information and resources to and through local SACREs
ii) Workshops, conferences, seminars and/or lectures to and through local SACREs
iii) Undertaking and supporting research into factors that contribute to high quality religious education and collective worship in schools and disseminating the useful results thereof.
In March 1993, SACRE representatives met to set up and formally constitute a National Association of SACREs. This followed the implementation of the Education Reform Act [ERA 1988] and the statutory powers and responsibilities now entrusted to the local SACREs.
The new National Association (NASACRE) was launched in 1993 in the House of Lords in the presence of religious leaders and the then Minister of State for Education, Baroness Blatch.
For the launch, the National Association published its aims and has subsequently developed a mission statement. These continue to provide the focus for NASACRE’s programmes and activities.
NASACRE has a constitution, which recognises the primary powers of affiliated SACREs. To work on behalf of all SACREs, NASACRE has an Executive Committee comprising:
Honorary officers – Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer – elected at the AGM for a 2 year term
8 Executive members – nominated by SACREs and elected at the AGM for a 3 year term. Executive members are Trustees.
Co-opted members.
Your Executive meets once or twice a term, usually in London. Previous Minutes may be viewed here.
The National Association is a non-profit making organisation which is financed by affiliation fees from SACREs and subscriptions to public meetings. It aims to raise sufficient monies to pay for speakers and meeting places and to meet its own, internal, running costs.
The Executive Committee comprises the four elected honorary officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary, and up to eight others, elected by member SACREs at the annual meeting. The Executive has the power to co-opt up to 3 additional people. Also in attendance is the immediate past Chair, acting as Executive Assistant.
The Executive is responsible for policy and planning of events and activities in fulfilment of the aims of the association, meeting together at least once a term to plan events and discuss policy and operational issues as they arise.
What does the Executive Committee do on behalf of its members?
Members of the Executive Committee for the year 2024-25 are:
Bill is currently adviser to three SACREs and is visiting lecturer for Primary RE ITE at the University of Hertfordshire. He taught and led RE in 5 secondary schools and was the School Improvement Adviser for RE and ‘other things’ in Buckinghamshire from 1999 – 2014, since when he has been an independent consultant. A previous Chair of NASACRE and the Association of RE Inspectors, Advisers and Consultants, Bill’s enthusiasm for the subject lies in its heady mixture of academic rigour and profound personal significance.
Following a degree in English & Theology from Southampton University, Denise taught in Middle, Junior and Secondary schools in Buckinghamshire & Hillingdon. She has since worked as an Adviser & Inspector with SACREs in many parts of London and currently supports the Lewisham SACRE as Lewisham’s part time School Improvement Officer for community cohesion and RE. She has previously served on the REC as a Board member, chairing the Celebrating RE National Festival in 2011. Having served on NASACRE as Chair in the past, Denise is currently on the executive, working with special interest in SACRE training, communications and the SACRE Briefings.
Paul is currently Programme Lead for Edge Hill University’s three year Undergraduate QTS programme (English, maths and RE), where he has worked as a Senior Lecturer in RE since 2006. He has been a member of Halton SACRE since 2001 and was chair of NASACRE from 2016-2020. He is a Trustee of the IFN, an REC Board member and sits on the Liverpool Diocesan Board of Education. His research has been in the fields of RE Policy and Practice, Collective Worship and Spirituality. He has also published work on mentoring and teacher development.
Sue has been Secretary to NASACRE since 2014. She is an independent education consultant in the East Riding of Yorkshire where she advises the SACRE. Sue has previously worked in a variety of roles in the LA, the diocese and at Hull University. She is an assessor for the REQM and chairs a local Church-School Trust. She enjoys weaving into RE aspects of her personal passion for the environment, whenever she can.
Linda is a member of Cornwall SACRE and has she has been Chair of NASACRE since 2020 having rejoined the Executive Committee in 2018. She is an education consultant, working primarily in teacher professional development networks, and managing the RE Quality Mark for the RE Council of England and Wales.
After completing a degree in French and German, Anne trained as a secondary school modern languages teacher. With the introduction of languages to primary schools in 2005, Anne retrained for the primary sector, and it was there that she encountered RE. In 2014 she began work as RE adviser to the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education, offering support and training in over 200 schools, as well as in various LAs and for teaching alliances. This role also led to her involvement in SACREs and the work of NASACRE. Anne is part of the communications team for NASACRE.
Catherine has been a Catholic secondary school RE teacher for over 21 years, 10 of which as curriculum leader. Catherine is a member of St Helens SACRE, having been chair for 4 years. She has completed both stages of the Culham St Gabriel leadership programme. Catherine has published research on parental views on religion and worldviews and has been a guest on the BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme discussing the importance of Religious Education.
Sheila is a member of the Board of Deputies of British Jews where she served for 6 years as a Vice President. She now leads the Board’s UK Education working group which focuses on outreach Judaism education to non-Jewish school children. She is a member of Cumbria SACRE and speaks in schools about her faith and way of life. She is on the development sub-group on the NASACRE executive, looking to improve the effectiveness of all SACREs in these uncertain times when RE is being challenged as a fundamental core curriculum subject.
Sukaina Manji is currently Chair of Peterborough SACRE. By profession she is a Secondary RE teacher. On the NASACRE Executive, Sukaina is taking an active role within the development sub-group and also supporting conference organisation. She also manages the NASACRE Twitter account.
Since 1995 Claire has been a member of Essex, Redbridge, Newham, Barking & Dagenham SACREs in a variety of roles. Claire currently works in Newham, Barking & Dagenham, as the SACRE RE and Collective Worship consultant, leading professional development around RE / Religion and Worldviews for teachers in schools from EYFS to Key Stage 5. On the NASACRE Executive, Claire is part of the conference team and leads the online training programme.
