Phones banned in Edinburgh high schools from start of new school year in August
Edinburgh becomes one of first local authorities in Scotland to ban mobile phones in schools
An all-day ban on smartphones in Edinburgh high schools, using lockable pouches will come into effect at the start of the new school year in August.
The decision by the city's education committee was made with the support of most of the parties. And it was agreed that head teachers should have discretion to relax the ban for S5 and S6 pupils at breaks and independent study times.
The ban follows trials of the pouch system at Portobello and Queensfery High Schools.
Education convener James Dalgleish said the decision to adopt a ban was a milestone. "It's hugely important that we've got to this stage and that we've got to this stage with the urgency we have, but that's because it's about the welfare of our young people.
"We were hearing constantly about distractions in the classroom, about harmful content coming into our schools, so it was very important for us to make a decision as possible because it's fundamentally about the welfare and wellbeing of our young people.”
He said the only other Scottish councils which had so far banned phones in schools were smaller authorities.
"For such a big local authority as Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, to take this decision, is really important and it will affect many thousands of young people."
The council's consultation found that while a majority of parents and staff favoured an all-day ban, only three per cent of pupils supported such a move, with most saying they should have access to their phones at breaktimes and lunchtimes.
Cllr Dalgleish said: "I respect their view and when we come back to review the policy in June, we will make a real effort to speak to those young people and ask what's gone well, what's not gone well and what changes would they like to see. I take those views of young people as seriously as teachers', parents' and carers'.
"And I hope after a few months they will see what a positive change it is and they will actually be more supportive of those restrictions, as has happened in Portobello and Queensferry High Schools."
The committee's decision was hailed as "monumental" by Andy Williamson from campaign group Smartphone-Free Schools, which had lobbied for a ban.
"It's fantastic," he said. "They took the bold decision for a city-wide, puch-based ban, the first of its kind in Scoltand and it passed with broad support as well.
"I think it's going to make a huge difference. It's going to be reviewed a year from now and I think people will be surprise at the benefits we see.
"What've heard anecdotally from lots of schools is when they do ban phones, childhood returns - kids are playing, they're being boisterous, they play board games, they play football, they're not zombified, walking round on their phones. It's going to be wonderful to see and I'm really genuinely excited."
Asked about the opposition of pupils to an all-day ban, he said: "The majority of students did favour some sort of restrictions. And at Portobello and Queensferry, a lot of the kids were initially resistant but actually, once they got to experience life without smartphones - which nine of them have before - they see its as a beneficial thing.
"We have to remember, we listen to the pupil voice, but we are the adults -we're responsible for safeguarding them and creating these environments where kids can be kids."
Greens opposed the bell-to-bell ban in committee, arguing that most young people were against it and it seemed reasonable to compromise and allow access to phone during breaktimes.
Green education spokesman Steve Burgess said an all-day ban at school would not protect young people from bullying by smartphone or the sharing of inappropriate content outside school.
And he argued schools should be teaching young people how to use their phones responsibly. "If we take phones away from pupils for the whole school day we are not preparing them for adult life, where mobile phone use needs to be well managed.
"While most parents want an all-day ban, we're aware of other parents who are concerned about wanting to be in touch with their young people when they're in school, regarding emergencies, family logistics, safety around travel and checking their whereabouts when the school sends a text saying they haven;t registered for class."
And Green councillor Alex Staniforth suggested there was "a good deal of nostalgia" in some of the adult responses to the consultation, that the way things were when they were at high school must be the best way.
"Let me tell you, I saw inappropriate images when I was under 18 at high school and the pupils bringing those images in didn't need smartphones to do it."
The Conservatives supported the all-day ban, but argued for the decision on use of pouches to be left up to individual head teachers. Education spokesman Christopher Cowdy sai some heads did not feel pouches were necessary and they could manage enforcement of the ban themselves.
But the SNP, Lib Dems and Labour voted together to bring in the ban. Cllr Dalgleish said he hoped the ban would make a big difference in city schools. “Teachers will be able to teach, young people will be able to learn with one less distraction, pupils will not be subjected to harmful content and pupils will be able to have a break from the world of social media and their smartphones and have a more engaging, healthy, enjoyable time at school.”
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