Free humanist speakers for schools
Trained volunteers who visit your school, in person or online, to talk about humanism and answer pupils’ questions. Free for every school in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- Accredited by RE Hubs
- Training endorsed by OCN London
500,000pupils have met a humanist school speaker since 2016
‘It made me consider you as a person, rather than just “a humanist”, which is what we were expecting.’
What a speaker can do for your class
Speakers bring a personal dimension to the study of humanism that goes beyond the textbook. They fit around your lesson plans, your timetable, and your pupils’ ages.
- Talk about humanism and take questions in an assembly or classroom
- Share their own beliefs and values, and what being a humanist means to them
- Give a humanist perspective on a debate such as assisted dying or animal welfare
- Contribute to a specialist or ‘off timetable’ day for a whole year group
- Join a multi-faith and belief panel exploring different viewpoints
- Work with teachers directly, with specialist information or materials
What teachers say
‘The children were captivated from start to finish and were delighted that you could answer their questions… we hope to see you again next year!’
‘From the initial email which was responded to quickly, to setting up a local speaker who contacted me immediately… the talk itself was relevant, engaging and thought provoking.’
How a visit works
- 1Fill in the request form. Tell us about your school, your pupils, and what you’d like the visit to cover.
- 2We find you a speaker. A trained volunteer near you gets in touch. If nobody is local, we’ll look for someone who can visit online.
- 3Plan it together. Agree the date, format, and focus directly with your speaker.
- 4The visit. A member of staff stays with the speaker throughout. Afterwards, we’ll send you a short feedback form.
Before you book
- Getting ready for a visit: a short guide for teachersPDF
- Terms and conditions for schoolsPDF
- Free resources to use before and after the visitWebsite
Visits are free. Speakers are volunteers, so we ask schools to cover their travel expenses where possible. All speakers are asked to complete an enhanced DBS check.
Humanism belongs in RE
England. The Religious Education Council of England and Wales recommends studying humanism as an example of a non-religious worldview.
Wales. Under the Curriculum for Wales, humanism is taught as part of Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE).
For lesson plans, assemblies, and teacher training, visit Understanding Humanism.
Parent or carer?
You can suggest a visit to your child’s headteacher. Our template letter makes it easy, and we’d love to know if you send one.
Become a school speaker
Humanists UK members can train for free to visit schools near them and help young people understand what humanists believe and value.