Edinburgh schools to ban mobile phones in pilot scheme
Pupils at Portobello and Queensferry will their devices locked in magnetic pouches for the duration of lessons
Last updated 7th May 2025
Two schools in Edinburgh are set to ban mobile phones.
In a pilot scheme, pupils at Portobello High School and Queensferry High School will have their phones locked during the school day.
They'll be kept in magnetically-locked pouches. All pupils from S1-S6 will be required to participate, and can access their devices back at the end of the school day by tapping the phone on one of the unlocking bases in the school.
Portobello will roll out the pouches across the campus roday, with Queensferry due to follow suit a week later.
It comes after an extensive consultation period with parents and carers, with focus groups meeting to discuss the policy.
Positive for young people
Research found that 86% of parents and carers at Portobello supported the introduction of the new policy.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, convener for education, children and families at Edinburgh City Council, 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.
"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. We hope that this new policy will increase focus on learning, reduce classroom distractions and help improve wellbeing."