Are Scottish non-denominational schools really non secular?

[TessaTwo]

Because I'm confused, chose a non-denominational school thinking there was no predominant religion, now hearing the pupils are going to Church of Scotland services?

I think my annoyance has stemed from the fact that the non denominational school in my area is not infant truely non denominational but has Protestant services and a minister aligned to the school who does assemblies. I went to catholic school so maybe this is my own predudice showing that I can't really imagine my son doing this. But equally I don't want my son to go to catholic school. So I feel
somewhat stuck, having to decide between 2 religious influences at school when infant I would want neither one.

My experience is same Tessa, my DS attends a 'non-denominational' school but they go to church at easter & Christmas, & have quite a clear Christian slant to their learning around those times. I would rather it was less lecturing eg they are 'told' that Jesus died on the cross etc and is Gods son etc.

Whereas when they learn about other religion I'm quite sure its in a 'In Muslim religion they believe....' way IYSWIM.

I agree with you about the whole Catholic/non-denom schools thing (which in practice can appear to be Catholic/Protestant - and before multi-culturalism, probably looked even more so), particularly in the West of Scotland. I think it encourages a "Them and Us" attitude :(

Having said that, as someone else said, school is only part of a child's life experience, sectarianism usually starts in the home :(

Not all the schools are "Protestant" non-denom schools. As I mentioned - ds was at an (inner city, sort of) Glasgow school and his exposure to religion truly was non-denominational. They certainly never went to church for any services.

Of the 4 school assemblies, one was nativity, one was Diwali, one was Eid and the last was the School Leaver's one. All three "religious" ones were done in the "Some people believe" way. The only thing I noticed and objected to in a small way and I'm not even religious was that when they sang "Away in a Manger", they changed the words from "The little Lord Jesus" to "The little baby Jesus" (I mean, it doesn't even scan! )