East Lothian schools set to ban mobile phones during lessons

A new phone policy will see primary one to three children barred from taking them to school, with lockable boxes for primary four to seven pupils to hand them in for the entire school day.

It will also provide secondary school classrooms with pouches that students will be expected to put their phones in during classes, as well as a ban on using them in school corridors.

The new policy to create mobile-phone free learning environments comes after East Lothian Council was able to roll out personal laptops to every secondary-school child and improve the ratio of shared laptops in primary schools to one per two pupils.

In a report to councillors next week, they will be asked to approve the changes, which are estimated to cost an additional £13,125.

Surveys were carried out among pupils of all ages, as well as teachers, parents and carers, to gather views on day-to-day mobile phone use.

The results showed that about 15 per cent of P1 to P3 children owned a mobile phone, rising to 45 per cent among older primary school children, with about half of those bringing them to school every day.

However, it also revealed that the main use for the primary pupils' phones was when travelling to and from school.

The report said: “While mobile phone access is prevalent among primary learners, their presence at school is largely driven by a need for secure communication during daily commutes rather than for use during the school day.”

In secondary school, 98 per cent of students owned mobile phones and brought them to school, although the survey revealed that more than 80 per cent said they never or rarely used their phone in class.

The report said: “Eighty per cent report no conflict with teachers, friends or peers due to phone use and 75 per cent agree that they need a phone for travel, after-school activities and family contact.

“The most common attitude (62 per cent) expressed is that phones are part of modern life and young people should be taught to use them responsibly.”

The report added that Dunbar Grammar School had been piloting a pouch system which required students to ‘hang up’ their phones in class; this could be rolled out at a cost of £4,725, compared to the cost of using the same pouch system used in Edinburgh, which it says would cost the council over £100,000 to introduce.

The plans will go before councillors for approval on Tuesday.