Fife headteachers will decide whether a mobile phone ban is right for their school


Last week, the Scottish Government published mobile phone guidance for schools across the country.
In it, education secretary Jenny Gilruth (MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes) said she would “support any headteacher who decides to institute a ban on mobile phones in their school”.
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Hide AdLocal politicians in Fife have now reacted to the new guidance.
For some, such as Conservative education scrutiny convener Kathleen Leslie, the guidance is “laudable” but appears ad hoc and doesn’t quite go far enough.
Others, such as council education spokesperson Cara Hilton, and SNP education spokesperson Sarah Neal, say the guidance is a welcome announcement.
According to Cllr Neal, the Holyrood guidance is necessary to allow headteachers in Fife and beyond to “address the discipline and some of the bullying that’s happening in the schools”.
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Hide Ad“It’s been a big issue – there’s been some really awful bullying and violent incidents in schools that have been filmed. So I think it’s good to have the phones switched off and out of sight,” she said.
“This guidance is a double whammy – it’s making schools more safe and making children more able to learn in the classroom without being distracted. I think it’s a good policy to adopt.”
For Cllr Hilton, the policy guidance is about finding the balance between the important role mobile phones play in our lives and in learning and between the negative consequences they had.
“Many young people rely on having their phone with them during the school day, whether to keep in contact with friends and family or to pay for lunch at the shops,” she acknowledged.
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Hide Ad“However, we have all seen the less positive impact mobile phones in the classroom can have, causing issues and often distress for staff, teachers and pupils.”
She continued: “Ultimately, while the Scottish Government has introduced this new power, it should be up to headteachers to determine the best approach in their own school and I hope that any decisions taken at school level, will be made in partnership with young people and with staff, through their trade unions.”
Cllr Leslie largely agreed with her cross-party colleagues about the dangers of mobile phone use in schools, and she even agreed that the banning of mobile phones in classrooms is “very laudable”.
However, she called the guidance “empty words” so long as the policy is not backed up by support and strategy.
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Hide Ad“We understand the distraction and disruption mobile phones can cause in the classroom. Indeed, the more I read about mobile phone usage amongst young people the more alarmed I become,” she said. “However, this looks like a bit of an ad hoc policy.”
She’s also concerned it will add to the workload of headteachers, and she said a mobile phone ban will not “always be possible” without 1:1 learning devices for students in classrooms.
“If our pupils in Fife all have access to a device then the need to access a mobile for learning within the classroom goes away,” Cllr Leslie said. “Until such a time comes this is not always going to be possible.”
Although Fife Council’s executive director for education Donald Macleod welcomed the new national guidance, he also highlighted that Fife Council already has guidance in place for schools.
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Hide Ad“Our schools already monitor the use of mobile phones on a case-by-case basis but this guidance will help schools enforce any action they are taking to deal with issues of poor behaviour,” Mr MacLeod said.
“Our headteachers will know what works best in their own schools but it’s reassuring that this will be supported through the new guidance.”
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