Tell the Welsh Government: Teach evolution, not creationism!

The new curriculum for Wales lacks specific teaching about evolution before ages 14-15, and contains zero safeguards against teaching creationism as science.

We’re asking the Welsh Government to follow the example set by England by banning the teaching of creationism as science and ensuring that evolution is taught to all pupils from primary school onwards.

Without an explicit ban on teaching creationism and other pseudoscientific theories as evidence-based, such teaching may begin to creep into the school curriculum.

In 2011-14 we successfully brought about a definitive end to the teaching of creationism as an evidence-based theory in state-funded schools in England, and saw evolution added to the primary national curriculum for those aged 10-11.

We need your help to do the same in Wales

Will you add your name to the call from Humanists UK, Sir David Attenborough, Professor Alice Roberts, and many other leading scientists and science organisations, in telling Welsh Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, to ‘Teach evolution, not creationism’?

See who is backing this campaign

Professor Jim Al-Khalili

Professor Peter Atkins

Sir David Attenborough

Simon Barrow

Dr Susan Blackmore

Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Professor Tom Blundell

Professor Paul Braterman

Andrew Copson

Dr Helena Cronin

Dr Helen Czerski

Professor Richard Dawkins

Professor Athene Donald

Professor Robin Dunbar

Professor Sir Anthony Epstein

Dr Dylan Evans Dr Diana Fleischman

Professor Chris French

Professor Dame Anne Glover

Dr Julian Huppert

Professor Laurence Hurst

Professor Saiful Islam

Professor Steve Jones

Armand Leroi

Dr Sarah Main

Professor Pat McKeown

Professor Mark Pallen

Shaun Reason

Rev Professor Michael Reiss

Viscount Matt Ridley

Professor Alice Roberts

Adam Rutherford

Angela Saini Alom Shaha

Dr Simon Singh

Professor Fred Spoor

Dr Geertje van Keulen

James Williams

Professor Lewis Wolpert

Iolo ap Gwynn

Richard Needham, Chair of the ASE Trustee Body

Janice Griffiths, Chair of the ASE

Mary Whitehouse, Immediate past Chair of ASE

Simon Quinnell, Chair-elect ASE

Marianne Cutler, ASE Director of Curriculum Innovation

Join the campaign – sign our petition to tell the Welsh Government:

Good science teaching is vital to the education and development of all children, wherever they live in the UK. Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. It is a fundamental concept that describes and explains the development of the diversity of life on the planet. Pupils should be introduced to it early – certainly at primary level – as it underpins so much else. Without an explicit ban on teaching creationism, intelligent design, and other pseudoscientific theories as evidence-based, such teaching may begin to creep into the school curriculum, when it is vital children in Wales are not exposed to pseudoscientific doctrines masquerading as science. State schools in England, including primary schools, are already required to teach evolution ‘as a comprehensive, coherent, and extensively evidenced theory’, and ‘must not allow any view or theory to be taught as evidence-based if it is contrary to scientific or historical evidence or explanations’. Please introduce the same requirements in Wales, including a ban on teaching creationism, intelligent design, and other pseudoscientific theories as evidence-based, and ensure that all primary pupils are taught evolution.

Help us ensure Wales’ new curriculum bans creationism and teaches evolution – sign this petition today.