Preaching is not Teaching: A landmark report on religious observance in Scottish schools

Date: 26th September 2025
Category: Freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Education, including vocational education, Inclusive education

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On 31st of August, The Humanist Society Scotland published a report around religious observance (RO) in Scottish schools. The report draws on testimony from pupils, parents and teachers to reveal trenchant bias and discrimination in the practice. This report has been published in time to inform parliamentary scrutiny of the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill, which we highlighted earlier in this e-news.

Key findings from the report:

• Inclusive RO is not being consistently delivered across non-denominational schools.
• Parents are not always informed when their child is taking part in RO, what the nature of the RO is, or that they have a right to withdraw them.
• Parents who make withdrawal requests can face resistance and hostility, particularly if they identify with humanist or other non-religious worldviews.
• Pupils who are opted out of RO are not always offered a worthwhile alternative.

Together’s own Stage 1 evidence to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee raised the same concerns. We called for children to have an independent right to withdraw from religious observance, clear guidance that distinguishes RO from Religious and Moral Education (RME), and for these provisions to be set out in stand-alone legislation so they fall within the protections of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024.

You can read the full report here

Read Together’s Stage 1 evidence here