Guidance issued to schools and teachers that parents in Scotland should not be told if their child wishes to change gender is being challenged by activists in the Scottish National Party. The guidance is supported by the Scottish government, which is run by the SNP, but local activists warn of a “transgender ideology” sweeping schools.

The party’s Haddington branch, in East Lothian, says the advice, issued last year by LGBT Youth Scotland, has been poorly evaluated by councils that have adopted it.

The document, Supporting Transgender Young People, was part-funded by the Scottish government. It says pupils should compete in sports in the gender they feel most comfortable with, and parents should not be told if a child wants to change gender or share rooms