Latest news with #PortobelloHigh
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Edinburgh pupils will have to lock up their mobiles
Pupils at two high schools in Edinburgh will have to keep their mobiles in lockable pouches during the day under a new phone-free policy. Students at Portobello High School and Queensferry High School will be issued with special wallets which once sealed require a magnetic pad to unlock them. Pupils will be allowed to keep their phones in their possession but will be expected to keep them in the pouches 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 crackdown on phone use 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". The school said the ban ban would have no impact on learning because pupils already have access to iPads which offer digital resources without social media distractions. The Scottish government issued guidance to headteachers last year which said a total phone ban was an option provided the needs of certain pupils, such as those with medical conditions, was taken into account. It came after a 2022 study which showed about a third of pupils in Scottish classrooms admitted being distracted by phones in almost every lesson. It is hoped bans will help curb disruptions such as distracting notifications as well as the filming of bullying incidents. Portobello will be the first school to implement the policy on Wednesday, with Queensferry following suit on 14 May. The Yondr pouches are already in use in some schools elsewhere in the UK. 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." What is a Yondr pouch? 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. Yondr pouches will be used to crack down on phone use in schools [BBC] 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. What is happening elsewhere? 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.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Edinburgh schools to introduce "pouches" for pupils' phones
High school pupils' phones to be locked in magnetic pouches 10 minutes ago Share Save Share Save City of Edinburgh Council Yondr pouches are already used in some schools in England 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". Google Portobello High School in Edinburgh, the first school to introduce the measure 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." What is a Yondr pouch? 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. Yondr pouches will be used to crack down on phone use in schools 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. What is happening elsewhere?
Scotsman
06-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
The blanket ban on mobile phones introduced by two Scottish city schools
Edinburgh City Council hopes the move to ban mobile phones during class time will increase the focus on learning. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Two schools in Edinburgh will be the first in Scotland to roll out a strict crackdown on the use of mobile phones later this month, with pupils required to store their devices in lockable pouches. In what has been described as an 'innovative' approach, the City of Edinburgh Council has announced the introduction of a pilot zero-phone policy at two secondary schools in the city. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As of today, Portobello High pupils will have to store their phones in secure and lockable Yondr pouches during the school day. The pouches, which are locked and unlocked magnetically, allow pupils across S1 to S6 to keep their phones in their possession, but they cannot be used. And from next Wednesday, Queensferry High will also be designated as a 'phone-free' zone, with its pupils subject to the same restrictions. Further schools are expected to follow, a council spokesman said. The council said the phone-free policy was being introduced following extensive engagement with pupils and parents and carers over a six-month period. The local authority said 86 per cent of parents and carers of children attending Portobello High positively supported the new policy. All learners from S1 to S6 will be responsible for storing mobile phones in secure and lockable Yondr pouches during the school day. | National World/ John Devlin It is hoped the new phone-free policy will protect the learning environment, encouraging young people to stay focused on learning without the distraction of checking or responding to mobile notifications. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The council pointed to research that showed that a phone-free school environment positively impacts young people's mental health and wellbeing, encouraging a healthier approach to managing time online and increasing face-to-face interaction. Joan Griffiths, the local authority's education, children and families convener, said: 'I'm pleased to see Edinburgh schools leading the way in introducing a mobile-phone free school environment. 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. '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. We hope that this new policy will increase focus on learning, reduce classroom distractions and help improve wellbeing.' Rank for Edinburgh: 11th. Overall rank for Scotland: 91st | TSPL In August last year, the Scottish Government published guidance on the use of mobiles in schools, giving head teachers powers, including full bans on their use across the school estate. Until now, however, schools have only gone so far. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Gordonstoun, in Moray, banned phones for all pupils during the school day in 2017. The private school updated its policy two years ago to ensure devices were left in boarding houses during the school day and handed in overnight. However, sixth-year pupils are allowed to keep their mobiles, as long as they are switched off during school hours. Dunblane High requires students to place phones into multi-pocket holders in classrooms, but the policy only applies to S1 and S2 pupils. Linlithgow High has a mobile ban, but pupils are only required to use pouches if they are discovered with them during a lesson.
