How a mobile phone ban ‘transformed’ a Scottish school

The head of King Charles’s former school has told how it was “transformed” by the decision to ban mobile phones from the classroom.

Simon Cane-Hardy, the head of Gordonstoun private boarding school in Moray, said the change meant classes became noisier as “children spoke to each other rather than scrolling through their phone”.

He also said removing the devices has had “enormous educational benefits”, and he urged more schools to act.

A student places a mobile phone in a box before the start of a lesson. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

His comments came as Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth published guidance from the Scottish Government which will allow individual head teachers to ban mobile phones from their school.

However the guidance said a nationwide ban is “not considered to be appropriate or feasible”.

That was despite Ms Gilruth accepting there “are undoubtedly growing behavioural issues associated with mobile phones”.

Gordonstoun acted to restrict the use of mobile phones by students in 2017, with Mr Cane-Hardy saying the action was taken “amid concerns the devices were having a detrimental impact on their wellbeing and ability to fully focus on lessons”.

He said limiting the use of the devices “improves pupils’ behaviour and contributes towards improved academic performance”.

He added: “It’s pleasing there is a recognition from the Scottish Government that the use of mobiles in schools is having an adverse impact on pupil behaviour.

“They are a constant distraction and since we have taken mobile phones out of the classroom, every area of school life has been transformed at Gordonstoun.”

He hailed the national guidance as a “welcome step… to empower headteachers across Scotland to take appropriate action on the use of mobiles in the classroom, up to and including a full ban in schools”.

Mr Cane-Hardy continued: “We know from our own experience that supporting teachers on limiting the use of mobiles improves pupils’ behaviour and contributes towards improved academic performance.

“When our mobile phone policy was introduced six years ago, the school became noisier, and children spoke to each other rather than scrolling through their phone.

“Academic focus is much better and since 2017, we’ve seen a marked improvement in our academic results, which is partially attributable to our mobile phone policy.

“Hopefully, today’s announcement will see more schools adopt a similar policy to what we have at Gordonstoun, with enormous educational benefits for both teachers and pupils.”