The research, conducted by Survation on behalf of Humanist Society Scotland, revealed that support for an independent pupil opt-out from religious observance stands at 66 per cent. The poll found majority support for giving young people the final say among voters of every political party, including 74 per cent of SNP voters.

The poll comes ahead of the first key vote on the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill. If passed, the bill would give school pupils a new independent right to opt in to RO and RME if their parent tries to withdraw them. But non-religious pupils who don’t feel comfortable taking part will still need their parent’s permission to opt out.

Humanist Society Scotland has warned the bill risks creating a “hierarchy of belief” that empowers religious children but fails to respect the views of non-religious pupils.

The charity has also criticised the bill’s conflation of religious education (a critical, balanced and objective part of the school curriculum) with religious observance (acts of worship). This is especially important given last week’s Supreme Court ruling in Northern Ireland, which ruled that collective worship which isn’t objective, critical and pluralistic amounts to indoctrination and is unlawful. Scotland could see a similar legal challenge unless Ministers amend their bill to uphold young people’s right to a balanced education.

Humanist Society Scotland chief executive Fraser Sutherland said: “Two-thirds of Scots think young people should have the final say over where they take part in religious observance, yet the Scottish government still wants to leave the veto with parents. This poll shows just how out of step that is with public opinion and with a basic, common-sense understanding of children’s rights. If a teenager is old enough to form their own view about religion, they are old enough to decide whether or not to take part in worship at school.

“Last week’s Supreme Court ruling on religious education and worship in Northern Ireland underlines that governments can’t ignore young people’s right to their own beliefs and hope the issue goes away. Scotland now risks sleepwalking into similar legal challenges. MSPs have a clear choice: they can pass a bill that creates a hierarchy of belief and leaves non-religious pupils without a meaningful right to opt out, or they can amend it to give all young people an independent, UNCRC-compliant right to choose for themselves.”