6 June 2016

Dear Colleagues,
Following the success of previous SACRE RE Celebration events for primary and secondary schools, I am delighted to be able to invite you to participate in the celebrations for 2016.
This celebration of children’s RE is to take place at a special presentation event to be held at Creech St Michael Baptist Church, Taunton on Monday, 17 October 2016.

What we hope you will do
First of all, by Wednesday, 20 July please signal your interest in taking part in this event by emailing the SACRE clerk at . There will only be space for eight schools, made up of primary and secondary phases. It will be a case of first-come-first-served so please declare your interest quickly!
Next, please choose a Key Stage 2 class/Key Stage 3 group, whose RE work you wish to feature. For primary schools, this can either be a straight year group or it can be made up of mixed year groups depending on your school structure. Secondary schools can decide on an arrangement that best suits their structure. Maximum group number should be 35.

During lessons in the early part of the autumn term, on the chosen theme of ‘BIG QUESTIONS’, ask these children to put together a drama/music/film/dance presentation that they will show on the presentation day. These presentations should be timed at between 10 and 15 minutes maximum.

You might like to take a look at the event from 2014 on the Somerset SACRE website:

What we will do

  • SACRE is making arrangements with our hosts, Creech St Michael Baptist Church to provide suitable accommodation for the presentations.
  • SACRE members will help to organise the presentation days and to act as liaison officers for your school so that the programme can run as smoothly as possible.
  • A SACRE member will make arrangements for your children to be made welcome and comfortable at the venue.
  • SACRE is inviting interest from local news media to cover the events. A photographic record will be made (no individual children will be named in full).
  • SACRE will carry out a risk assessment of the venue.
  • SACRE will recognise the work of the children who participate with certificates.

Programme for the day
The plan is for the participating schools to arrive at CSM Baptist Church during the morning – in late September SACRE will give you an estimated arrival time. The children will rehearse their performances with their school staff. All schools are to arrange their own transport to and from the church venue please.

When not rehearsing, the staff from each school are responsible for ‘entertaining’ their children, so please arrange to bring along paper, pencils, books to read etc. The Taunton and Bridgwater Canal is just outside the church so you could take your children for a walk!

After lunch there will be a schedule of performances in front of invited guests: SACRE members, LA representatives, governors and parents. It is envisaged that these will be complete by 3.30 pm. Schools not performing will form part of the audience. NB each school is encouraged to invite the parents of those children participating – up to a maximum of 20 please.

'Official' photographs will be taken by a SACRE member. NB Please make sure that any child who is not to be photographed is discreetly identifiable.

Other preparations for the day

  • It will be essential for each participating school to complete its own ‘risk-assessment’ as for any out-of-school trip or visit.
  • Children should bring their own packed lunch.

We do hope that you will join in with Somerset’s second RE Celebration Week. Remember to express your interest by Wednesday, 20 Julyby emailing ating you would like to participate.
Yours sincerely,

Ralph Bullock,

Somerset SACRE