Edinburgh schools to introduce “pouches” for pupils’ phones

Pupils at two high schools in Edinburgh will have to lock their mobile phones in magnetically-sealed pouches during the day under new rules.

Students at Portobello High School and Queensferry High School will be issued with Yondr pouches over the next week as part of an effort to crack down on the use of devices in class.

Under the policy, pupils will keep phones in their possession throughout the day, but will be expected to keep them in the wallets until the bell rings at the end of their final lesson.

Edinburgh Council’s education convener said the move would end the “competition” between phones and teachers for pupils’ attention.

The local authority said the phone-free policy had been supported by about 86% of pupils and parents at Portobello High School during a survey.

It cited research which suggested pupils accessing social media on mobile phones had an “adverse effect on learning ability”.

Education convener councillor Joan Griffiths said: “Mobile phones in classroom settings are increasingly competing with the teachers for learners’ attention and limiting access to mobile phones during the school day is only a positive thing for our young people.

“I know that schools across Edinburgh, and indeed the country, are exploring ways to manage mobile phone use, including restricting phone use during the school day.

“The new pouches provide an innovative way for our young people to have distance from their devices while having the reassurance that they are still in their possession.

She added: “We hope that this new policy will increase focus on learning, reduce classroom distractions and help improve wellbeing.”

Fans of singer Bob Dylan had to keep their phones in Yondr pouches during his UK tour last year, which included a date at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.

The legendary performer followed in the footsteps of Jack White, Alicia Keys and Childish Gambino, among others, to ban phones from his gigs.

They are also used widely in theatre and art galleries to stop alerts from disrupting performances.

The wallets work in a similar way to anti-theft tags seen on clothes or alcohol bottles in shops.

A device is placed inside and closed with a powerful magnet, which snaps it shut until it is tapped on an unlocking base.

But it does not function in the same way as a Faraday Cage, meaning electronic transmissions such as texts or calls are not blocked.

Several other Scottish councils have taken steps to regulate the use of phones in classrooms.

Most leave the enforcement to schools themselves.

At Inverness Royal Academy in the Highlands, phone signals are blocked inside the building, while only staff are given access to password-protected wi-fi.

Pupils can still access a signal in the school grounds.

Perth and Kinross Council said it “strictly prohibits” the use of phones during lesson time unless permitted by a teacher for educational purposes.

They said devices must be “turned off or on silent mode and stored in a manner that does not disturb the learning environment”.

Scottish government advice has been issued to schools in Glasgow, but the local authority said it would be up to individual schools to implement the policy.

East Dunbartonshire, Moray and Shetland give schools autonomy to create their own rules, but have consulted with parents and carers on their future use.

East Lothian is also consulting on a future policy, but all of their secondary schools have rules stating phones must be kept in bags, lockers or appropriate storage while in classrooms.

Midlothian Council said schools would contact parents or carers if a pupil fails to comply with expectations that phones are switched off and out of sight during class time.

Meanwhile, Argyll and Bute Council said it would not be appropriate to ban phones in schools outright.