EDINBURGH TO BAN MOBILE PHONES IN ALL STATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Edinburgh City Council has announced a ban on mobile phones in all state secondary schools, taking effect from August. Pupils will be required to place their devices in magnetically sealed pouches for the entire school day, including breaks and lunchtime. A consultation found 75% of parents and staff supported the measure, though most pupils wanted continued access to their devices during breaks. Senior leadership teams at individual schools will retain discretion over whether S5 and S6 pupils may access their devices during breaks, lunchtime, and independent study periods.

The policy extends to smartwatches in both primary and secondary schools, with primary pupils required to store their mobile phones in lockers throughout the day. An exemption policy will be developed for pupils who require device access for health or other reasons. The council allocated £400,000 in February to support the restrictions. Lockable pouches have been under trial at Portobello and Queensferry Secondary schools throughout the past school year, with a council report describing the pilot as "broadly successful."

The Scottish Government introduced guidance permitting head teachers to implement phone bans in 2024, following a 2022 study in which approximately one third of pupils in Scottish classrooms admitted to being distracted by their devices. Education Secretary Màiri McAllan last week urged schools to act ahead of forthcoming legislation restricting phone use in classrooms. McAllan told Holyrood that new national guidance would be published by the end of the month to help schools address what she described as the "spectrum of harm" linked to mobile phone use. A government consultation on phone-free classrooms is also set to be launched.