We launch landmark report, Preaching is not Teaching, on religious observance in Scottish schools.

August 31, 2025

State schools in Scotland are required to provide compulsory acts of religious observance. How can we still justify this in a secular democracy? Our new report, Preaching is Not Teaching, draws on testimony from parents, teachers, and pupils to reveal trenchant bias and discrimination in the practice.

Religious observance in Scottish schools

State schools in Scotland are required by law to provide acts of religious observance (RO). This practice began in 1872, when Christianity dominated Scottish life. Over 150 years later, over 60% of school-aged children say they are non-religious. And more pupils than ever identify with other religions such as Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism.

In recent years, policymakers have sought to balance the requirement for RO with the need to respect pupils of all beliefs and none. Parents and guardians also have the legal right to opt their child out of religious observance. But in a secular and multi-faith society, is it really possible to make compulsory religious observance properly inclusive? We believe school pupils in Scotland should have the right to opt themselves out of RO.

The background

Humanist Society Scotland was keen to understand how RO is being delivered in schools, and how the longstanding right for parents and guardians to opt out works in practice. The need for this work is more urgent than ever, as Scottish government is currently attempting to pass a bill on religious observance that does not offer pupils the right to opt themselves out. This is despite calls from the United Nations, children’s rights charities, and the Children’s Commissioner for Scotland for Ministers to introduce an independent pupil opt out.

Our new report contains testimonies from pupils, parents, and teachers on their experiences of RO in non-denominational schools. We find strong evidence that RO is not being offered in an inclusive way across the country. Moreover, where RO activities are confessional in basis, parents and pupils frequently face barriers in seeking to withdraw.

Our key findings

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.

READ THE REPORT

Testimony

We have gathered testimony from pupils, teachers, and parents around the country who have highlighted significant concerns regarding the strong Christian bent of religious observance. They have spoken of being admonished or shamed for questioning this; of a culture of ignorance around the right to opt out; and of a lack of alternative activities.

When I raised my concerns with the headteacher, they replied: ‘I won’t apologise, this is a Christian country’
Parent

The government guidance on RO has been completely ignored in the school I work in with pupils, some members of staff and parents believing they have to go to church each Christmas because it’s ‘the law’.
Teacher

I don’t like to go to the church with my school because it feels like I’m being forced to paint my room a colour I don’t like.
Pupil

We became aware that my daughter was being forced to pray because she told us how uncomfortable she felt. She went along with it the first time she was told to do it but the second time she just sat quietly. She was told by an adult very sharply that she was being disrespectful if she didn’t go along with it. She was upset and embarrassed by this.
Parent

The last Easter service included a foot-washing activity that I found uncomfortable and inappropriate. Other teachers also commented that the religious elements were excessive.
Teacher

I don’t think many people even know that they are allowed not to go if their parents tell the school.
Pupil

Recommendations

Based on the evidence in this report and on our years of campaigning against compulsory RO, we have five recommendations for the Scottish government:

Adopt an inclusive non-confessional Time for Reflection model for all non-denominational schools, with clear guidance for teachers. Guidelines should highlight best practice from schools where Time for Reflection is currently delivered.
Provide schools with additional materials and resources to ensure children opted out of RO have a meaningful alternative, as is their right under the law.
Provide schools with additional support to ensure parents and pupils are fully informed about the content of RO activities and their right to opt out.
Commission the school inspectorate to carry out a thematic review of RO in non-denominational schools. The review should consider whether schools are adequately supported to implement the guidance on inclusive RO and meet their legal obligations on withdrawal rights and meaningful alternatives.
Extend the current parental opt out and allow competent children and young people in all schools to independently withdraw from RO, in line with UN recommendations.

Our CEO Fraser Sutherland said:

“Today’s report shows a worrying culture of Christian bias in religious observance practices across the country. We’ve spoken to pupils, teachers, and parents who are deeply concerned by this. They feel it is harmful to the culture of their schools and to the development of the children they care for. Our findings make it all the more necessary for the Scottish government to revisit their decision not to offer opt-out rights from religious observance to school pupils. The practices we have uncovered have no place in a secular education system in 2025.”

Director of Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) Juliet Harris said:

“Every child has the right to be respected and included at school. Humanist Society Scotland’s report – Preaching is not Teaching – shows that too many children are still being compelled to take part in religious observance, even when it goes against their own beliefs. Scotland has committed to children’s rights in law – but a new Scottish Government Bill going through Parliament risks undermining that commitment. This report adds to longstanding calls from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, Together and our members. Children and young people must be given a genuine choice to withdraw from religious observance.”

Read Preaching is not Teaching, our report on religious observance

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