ScotGov will back teachers banning phones in schools

Mrs Gilruth said that she would not "dictate" an approach to schools, but made it clear that she would back any headteacher who decided to implement a mobile phone ban.

"Mobile phone use impacts on learning and teaching. 

"I am clear in publishing this guidance that, as Cabinet Secretary, I will support any headteacher who decides to institute a ban on mobile phones in their school.

"Crucially, however, this decision is one which rests with Scotland’s headteachers, who know their pupils and their staff and who we trust to take the best decisions in the interests of their school communities."

This is, in many ways, the status quo for Scottish schools, which have taken different approaches to mobile phone policies, from banning them during class hours to other specific periods in the school day.

Mrs Gilruth highlighted recent findings from the government's 2023 "Behaviour in Scottish schools" study and from the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report, both of which found that students were increasingly reporting that they find themselves distracted by mobile phones or other technological devices while in class.

While leaving the ultimate decision to individual headteachers, the government's guidance encourages schools to consult with students and families before implementing any ban or comprehensive policy and to consider that mobile phones "may be used by pupils with particular needs."

This is in line with previous call from young people's advocacy groups, such as Carers Trust Scotland, who warned that students who serve as primary carers or other students with additional support needs might need to keep in regular contact with people outside of school.

The mobile phone guidance only constituted one aspect of the government's new behaviour action plan, which laid out 20 "key actions" grouped under eight broad themes:

1. Setting clear national expectations for promoting positive relationships and behaviour in schools
2. Supporting local application of national policy
3. Support for children and young people
4. Supporting the workforce
5. Reducing violence and harm in schools
6. Engaging with the whole-school community
7. Tracking impact and progress
8. Policy cohesion

According to the plan's outline, the goal is to improve school behaviour by strengthening relationships between different groups in schools and communities: students and staff, schools and parents, local authorities and schools, and schools and government.

The action plan is scheduled to roll out in three phases, beginning with an expectation-setting exercise over the next few months and ending in 2027 with HM Inspector-led national reviews on school behaviour.

During Phase 1, the government will consult with schools and local authorities on available and approved consequences for misbehaviour, "including exclusion where there is no appropriate alternative."

In response to the publication of the policy, Mike Corbett, National Official Scotland for NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said that union officials have been "frustrated" with the delays in releasing the action plan but welcomed some of the guidance it provided.

“The Scottish Government must make it clear that serious misbehaviour will carry serious consequences if any plan is to secure a safe and orderly environment for teachers and students.

“Given the recent riots in other parts of the UK, the acknowledgement that more work is needed to support schools in addressing racism and racist incidents, along with other forms of discrimination such as misogyny, is welcome."

Still, he said it was disappointing that the plan's announcement did not include any new financial support.

“While we are pleased to see that the Action Plan intends that schools will be offered support to adopt the recommendations within it, including suggested approaches and exemplars, it is disappointing that the Scottish Government has not as yet committed any additional funding, time or resources to schools to support this work.

“Teachers and school leaders are already dealing with excessive workloads and constrained budgets. Implementing the recommendations of this action plan is too important a task to be simply added to schools’ already lengthy to do lists.

"Ring-fenced time and funding is needed."

Educational Institute of Scotland General Secretary Andrea Bradley agreed and said that the government's words must be matched by action and funding. 

“Whilst there are some elements of the plan which we believe are helpful, in its entirety, and most significantly, as an action plan to tackle what seems to have been accepted by government to be a very real problem, it fails to identify how, where and to what extent, the requisite resources will be channelled towards solving or even alleviating, the problem of disruptive, violent and aggressive behaviour in our schools.

"Reference in the document to the ‘challenging financial situation’ does not provide the necessary reassurance to teachers, school staff, parents and pupils that the action plan will address what are very real health and safety concerns in our schools.”