We have gathered together a number of website links for some of the main regional (Wrexham/North Wales) and national organisations concerned with religious education /religion, values and ethics and related areas in Wales. There are also links to a number of wider UK and European organisations.
The aim of this list is to create easy access to the selected organisations with brief contextualising descriptions. It does not attempt to be exhaustive!
- Wrexham SAC / SACRE
- Wales Association of SACREs (WASACRE)
- National Advisory Panel for Religious Education (NAPfRE)
- Hwb (Digital Learning Unit, Welsh Government)
- GwE
- Catholic Education Service (Wales)
- Catholic Diocese of Wrexham
- Church in Wales, Education
- St Asaph Diocese (Church in Wales, Education)
- St Mary’s Centre, Wales
- Estyn
- WJEC
- RE Council for England and Wales
- Intereuropean Commission on Church and School
Wrexham SAC / SACRE
Every Local Authority in Wales has a statutory duty to establish two statutory bodies: a Standing Conference, which agrees the local syllabus for religion, values and ethics / religious education, and a Standing Advisory Council on religion, values and ethics (SAC) / religious education (SACRE), which oversees and maintains the implementation of the local agreed syllabus.
Wrexham SAC / SACRE, therefore, advises the local authority in matters relating to statutory religion, values and ethics / religious education as well as statutory collective worship in its schools.
As statutory religion, values and ethics / religious education and collective worship are local authority responsibilities, this should be your first point of contact in these matters.
More information about Wrexham Standing Advisory Council (SAC) on RVE and contact details is found on their web page .
Wales Association of SACREs
The Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs) of all 22 Local Authorities in Wales are members of the Wales Association of SACREs (WASACRE). The purpose of WASACRE is to provide a forum for the exchange of good practice and to represent the aims, work, and views of its member SACREs. This is achieved by:
- member SACREs sending representation to the termly meetings of WASACRE;
- organising relevant national initiatives and projects in the areas of religious education and collective worship;
- speaking on behalf of all SACREs in Wales through engaging with relevant bodies and agencies, including the Welsh Government;
- collating relevant key SACRE documents;
- maintaining working relationships with equivalent bodies in England.
National Advisory Panel for Religious Education (NAPfRE)
The National Advisory Panel for Religious Education brings together representatives from all the major organisations in Wales that are concerned with Religious Education. These include representatives from: the advisors/officers/advisory teachers/consultants with responsibility for RE from each Local Authority; the Anglican Voluntary School sector; the Roman Catholic Voluntary School sector; higher education institutions; subject specialist organisations; WASACRE, WJEC and Estyn.
One of the aims of NAPfRE is to provide support for its members through termly meetings and to ensure that members are up to date with the most recent significant developments impacting on RE/RVE and related areas. NAPfRE regularly liaises with, and is consulted by, governmental and other policy organisations on matters relating to RE/RVE), and acts as the professional body which supports the work of WASACRE.
Hwb (Digital Learning Unit, Welsh Government)
Hwb is the central Welsh Government platform providing essential national information about the curriculum, online resources and tools, and professional learning relating to schools and colleges in Wales.
GwE
GwE is the School Effectiveness and Improvement Service for North Wales, and it works alongside the Local Authorities of Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd and Wrexham.
Catholic Education Service (Wales)
The Catholic Education Service provides information about Roman Catholic schools in Wales as well as contact details for the Catholic Education Services’ Education Advisor for Wales.
Catholic Diocese of Wrexham
The Catholic Diocese of Wrexham serves Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Wrexham, and the District of Montgomery in the County of Powys. Details of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Wrexham are provided.
Church in Wales, Education
Church in Wales Guidance on Religion, Values and Ethics for their schools, resources, and other news can be found on this site.
St Asaph Diocese (Education)
Wrexham is part of the Church in Wales St Asaph Diocese, which has responsibility for 51 church schools in north east and mid-Wales. Contact details for the St Asaph Diocese Education and Lifelong Learning team can be found on this site.
St Mary’s Centre, Wales
The St Mary’s Centre, Wales is an Anglican research institute rooted in Wales, which works in the broad fields of religion and education. The Centre connects research and practice in both church and school contexts through its resources, seminars and symposia, and programmes developing research-based reflective practice.
Estyn
Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Reports relating to religious education can be found on this site.
WJEC
The Welsh Joint Examination Committee (WJEC) is Wales’ largest awarding body. Information, specifications and resources for WJEC GCSE, AS/A-level Religious Studies can be found on this site.
RE Council for England and Wales
The RE Council for England and Wales describes itself in the following way:
“The Religious Education Council of England and Wales was established in 1973 to represent the collective interests of a wide variety of professional associations and faith communities in deepening and strengthening provision for religious education. It provides a multi-faith forum where national organisations with an interest in supporting and promoting religious education in schools and colleges can share matters of common concern.”
Member organisations in Wales include: Wales Association of SACREs; Church in Wales Division for Education; and Religious Education Movement Wales.
Intereuropean Commission on Church and School (ICCS)
The Intereuropean Commission on Church and School (ICCS) is a network, created in 1958, which aims to provide a framework for cooperation in monitoring and developing church and school issues in Europe. It brings together representatives and experts from research, practice and policy working on religion and education.
In Wales, both the St Mary’s Centre and the St Giles’ Centre work closely with the ICCS.