http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/44/section/21/2017-01-01Education (Scotland) Act 1980An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to education in Scotland with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Scottish Law Commission.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-04-27Expert Participation2017-01-01 Part I Provision of Education by Education Authorities Management of denominational schools Management of denominational schools.211Any school transferred to an education authority under section 16(1) of this Act shall be held, maintained and managed by the education authority as a public school.2Subject to subsections (2A) and (2C) below, in any such school the education authority shall have the sole power of regulating the curriculum and of appointing teachers:2AA teacher appointed to any post on the staff of any such school by the education authority shall. . . satisfy the Secretary of State as to qualification, and shall be required to be approved as regards his religious belief and character by representatives of the church or denominational body in whose interest the school has been conducted;2BWhere the said representatives of a church or denominational body refuse to give the approval mentioned in subsection (2A) above they shall state their reasons for such refusal in writing.2C subject to the provisions of section 9 of this Act, the time set apart for religious instruction or observance in any such school shall not be less than that so set apart according to the use and wont of the former management of the school.3For each such school the education authority shall appoint as supervisor of religious instruction, without remuneration, a person approved as regards religious belief and character as aforesaid, and the supervisor so appointed shall report to the education authority as to the efficiency of the religious instruction given in such school, and shall be entitled to enter the school at all times set apart for religious instruction or observance.4In every such school the education authority shall give facilities for the holding of religious examinations.5Subsections (1) to (4) above, so far as applicable, shall have effect in relation to any school provided by an education authority under section 17(2) of this Act as they have effect in relation to schools transferred to an education authority as mentioned in subsection (1) above, subject to the modification that the time set apart for religious instruction in any school so provided shall be not less than that so set apart in schools in the same education area which have been transferred as mentioned in subsection (1) above.6Any question which may arise as to the due fulfilment or observance of any provision or requirement of the foregoing provisions of this section shall be determined by the Secretary of State.7In this section, the reference to section 16(1) or 17(2) of this Act shall include a reference to the corresponding provision of the Act of 1918, the Act of 1946 and the Act of 1962.Ss. 21(2)–(4)(6) applied (with modifications) by Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989 (c. 39, SIF 41:2), s. 12Words inserted by Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989 (c. 39, SIF 41:2), s. 82(1), Sch. 10 para. 8(7)(a)Words substituted by Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989 (c. 39, SIF 41:2), s. 82(1), Sch. 10 para. 8(7)(b)Words repealed by Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989 (c. 39, SIF 41:2), s. 82(1)(2), Sch. 10 para. 8(7)(c), Sch. 11Words substituted by Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989 (c. 39, SIF 41:2), s. 82(1), Sch. 10 para. 8(7)(d)Word substituted by Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989 (c. 39, SIF 41:2), s. 82(1), Sch. 10 para. 8(7)(e)Words substituted for by Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989 (c. 39, SIF 41:2), s. 82(1), Sch. 10 para. 8(7)(f)