MSPs will today consider a call for official guidance to ban the teaching of creationism in schools amid ongoing reluctance by the Scottish Government and teachers to intervene.

The Scottish Secular Society wants official guidance to bar the presentation of “creation and of young Earth doctrines as viable alternatives to the established science of evolution, common descent and deep time”.

Its petition, which has 651 signatories included three Nobel Prize winners and numerous parents, teachers, educators and scientists, has been escalated to Holyrood’s Education and Culture Committee.

Teaching union the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) says restricting discussion of “particular theories or belief systems” to religious education classes only would be contrary to “cross-curricular approach” of the school curriculum.