Edinburgh bans mobile phones for school pupils

Mobile phones will be banned at all Edinburgh schools from the start of next term.

City of Edinburgh Council’s education committee has agreed a “bell-to-bell” ban.

Secondary pupils will be required to place their devices in lockable pouches at the start of the day. Primary pupils will lock their phones away in cabinets.

The restrictions will come into force after the summer holidays and the oldest pupils – those in fifth and sixth year – will be allowed to develop their own guidance on access to phones during breaks, lunchtimes and independent study periods.

Trials of lockable pouches began at Portobello and Queensferry high schools last year. The council has said anecdotal feedback from staff and pupils has been “positive”.

In a city-wide consultation staged earlier this year, 97 per cent of secondary school staff supported phone restrictions, as did 94 per cent of parents and carers. The same was true for 53 per cent of pupils.

The council has already agreed £400,000 for a one-off purchase of storage cabinets and pouches.

It has said “special consideration” will be given to pupils with health needs or caring responsibilities, who may require device access during the school day.

The news comes after education secretary Mairi McAllan announced the planned introduction of a consultation on national restrictions on phone use in schools.

Councillor James Dalgleish, convenor of the council’s education, children and families committee, said: “This is a monumental step for Edinburgh’s children and young people and I am proud that we are one of the first local authorities in the country to introduce widespread restrictions on mobile phones in schools. I’ve been clear from the start that we wanted to be bold in our ambition to make our schools phone free environments that enable our teachers to teach and pupils to learn without the distraction of devices in the classroom.

“The uniform introduction of lockable pouches in all our secondary schools will level the playing field for all learners in Edinburgh, streamlining a phone free schools policy and guaranteeing that every single young person can get the most out of their time in the classroom. We know from the two pilots already underway that keeping phones out of the classroom is positive and alongside our consultation showing broad support from teachers, school staff and parents/carers, I am confident that these restrictions will be warmly welcomed and hugely impactful.”