Scottish schools could ban mobile phones under new guidance

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Scottish schools could ban mobile phones under new guidance

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The Scottish government said it will support headteachers to introduce mobile phone bans

Headteachers will be given Scottish government backing to introduce mobile phone bans in schools.

Under

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, pupils could be required to hand over devices before classes or be banned from using them on school trips as part of efforts to ****** down on disruptions such as distracting notifications or filming instances of bullying.

However, ministers said consideration should be given to pupils who have good reasons to have a phone. Examples would include if they are a carer, have medical conditions or have additional support needs.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said headteachers know their pupils and staff, and were trusted “to take the best decisions in the interests of their school communities”.

She added: “We are making clear with this guidance that our headteachers are empowered to take action up to and including a whole school bans.

“This government supports Scotland’s schools in taking the necessary steps to tackle the negative effects associated with mobile phone use; to enhance outcomes for all of Scotland’s young people.”

While some schools already have their own mobile phone policies in place, this is the first official guidance from the Scottish government.

It says there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that “over-exposure” to mobile phone use can result in pupils experiencing limited concentration, unhappiness and isolation.

The guidance refers to a

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which showed about a third of pupils in Scottish classrooms admitted being distracted by phones in almost or every lesson.

While schools will have the power to create their own policies on mobile phone use, some may choose not to enforce an outright ban.

Pupils could be instructed to switch phones off and keep them in a bag during class times, for example.

The guidance also says that pupils could be told not to film classmates or staff unless they have their consent and special permission of school management.

There should also be clear procedures for removing and returning phones to pupils if they misuse them, as well as clear reporting protocols for misuse and support for anyone who is being harassed by phone.

Scottish ************* education spokesman Liam Kerr said the plan was “extremely belated” and that any ban would need to ensure that education did not suffer.

He said: “What Jenny Gilruth’s statement does not address is the difficulty they will have in doing so [banning phones], thanks to the SNP’s broken promise that they would provide a laptop or tablet to every school pupil in Scotland – a problem highlighted to the education secretary at a recent meeting with teachers.”

********* action plan

The Scottish government has also now published an

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on tackling ********* and verbal ****** in schools.

Its first phase sets out how more guidance will be given to local authorities and schools on “whole-school approaches to relationships and behaviour”.

It also says the government will provide clarity on the range of approaches and consequences that are available for misbehaviour, including exclusions.

‘I was left with concussion after pupil ********* in school’

The government said it will also support the effective recording and monitoring of inappropriate behaviour.

Teaching unions have recently claimed that violent incidents were being under reported, and that the use of school exclusions was “frowned upon”.

The EIS Aberdeen survey from February said 42% of teachers reported violent behaviour taking place in their schools once a day.

More than a third (37%) said they had been physically assaulted by a pupil, and more than half felt their school did not have clear strategies in place to prevent *********.

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