Perth and Kinross Council lead the charge against mobile phone use in classrooms

Perth and Kinross Council has become the first local authority in Scotland to approve a blanket ban on mobile phones in school classrooms. The plan is to have every single classroom in the area without a digital device in plain sight during lessons, unless explicitly permitted by a teacher for educational use.  

In a nationwide debate on the issue spanning the last year or so, some critics of blanket bans flag that teachers are juggling enough responsibilities and that there could be significant issues with actually enforcing the policy.  

They also point to how great a tool modern-day advances in technology provides for education, or the potential safety concerns for worried parents trying to get a hold of their children in the case of an emergency.  

Perth and Kinross are not signaling a move away from up-to-date technology where appropriate. Nor are schools in the area planning on shutting off all communication channels. Children and young people will be able to use their phone again when they’re heading home and, in the case of an emergency, the main school lines will still be open.  

With teachers finding a new, increasingly difficult modern-day battle for focus and concentration in lessons, Perth and Kinross Council have simply paved the way for what feels like an inevitable destination. Schools need to do everything they can to create a focused learning environment, and mobile phones are now creating an obstacle too difficult to ignore.  

Portobello and Queensferry High School in Edinburgh have followed suit, issuing special wallets that seal mobile phones to a magnetic pad to keep mobiles in until the end of their final lesson. Edinburgh Council’s education convenor said the move was crucial in ending the “competition” for concentration between phone and teacher.  

What is the government saying? 

Put simply, there’s no national mandate, but there is strong support for local action.  

The Scottish Government published guidance stating that headteachers are empowered to restrict mobile phone use in schools. Whole-school bans are also supported if they judge it necessary. 

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth MSP said:  

“I have made it clear that I will support any head teacher who decides to institute a ban on mobile phones.” 

She says the guidance goes “as far towards a national ban as I am currently able to go,” after reaffirming that the decisions must remain in the hands of local authorities, alluding to legal restraints.  

In direct response to the blanket ban in Perth and Kinross, Gilruth said she was “encouraged to note this move” and that it mirrors the flexibility that the national guidance provides.