All state secondary schools in Edinburgh will introduce a ban on mobile phones from the start of the new academic year in August as part of efforts to improve learning, behaviour and student wellbeing.
Under the new policy, secondary school students will be required to place their phones in magnetically locked pouches for the entire school day, including break times and lunch periods. The restrictions will also apply to smartwatches.
Primary school pupils who bring mobile phones to school will be required to store them in lockers until the end of the school day.
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The decision follows a public consultation in which about 75 per cent of parents and school staff supported stronger restrictions on phone use in schools. While many students agreed that phones could be distracting during lessons, most said they wanted access to their devices during breaks.
Edinburgh City Council, however, concluded that a full-day restriction would be the most effective approach.
Councillor James Dalgleish, convener of the Education, Children and Families Committee, described the move as a major step towards creating better learning environments.
He said the council wanted schools to become phone-free spaces where teachers could teach and pupils could learn without the constant distraction of digital devices.
The policy builds on a pilot programme introduced at Portobello High School and Queensferry High School, the first schools in Scotland to trial lockable phone pouches. According to a council report, the initiative has been largely successful and has shown positive early results.
The council approved £400,000 in funding earlier this year to support the rollout of mobile phone restrictions across schools.
Exemptions will be available for pupils who need access to their phones during the day for health, medical or other approved reasons.
The move comes amid growing concerns about the impact of smartphones on young people’s mental health and academic performance. Scottish Education Secretary Màiri McAllan recently warned of links between excessive smartphone use and increased risks of anxiety, depression, poor sleep and other health issues among adolescents.
The Scottish Government is expected to launch a consultation on phone-free classrooms and publish new national guidance on managing mobile phone use in schools. Ministers are also pushing for stronger online protections, including a potential ban on social media access for children under the age of 16.
Edinburgh is now among the first local authorities in Scotland to introduce a city-wide ban on mobile phones in schools.
