Headteachers given power to ban mobiles after Fife school violence outbreak

SNP education chief Jenny Gilruth published a new plan to combat poor behaviour in classrooms.

By Alasdair Clark

August 15 2024, 12:14pm

Jenny Gilruth meets pupils at Madras in Fife. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson.

Headteachers will be given the power to ban mobile phones from schools as part of a new plan to tackle violence in the classroom.

It comes after a series of incidents in the Kingdom, where teachers reported violence levels above the national average.

Shocking claims of teachers being spat at and bitten by children as young as five led to a school violence summit called.

Mobiles in school — Head teachers will be given the power to ban mobiles completely. Image: PA

Levenmouth Academy parents went as far as compiling a dossier of bullying incidents, while in December a sickening video captured the moment a pupil was pulled to the ground and attacked in a Glenrothes school playground.

The new guidance to deal with bullying and poor behaviour in Scottish schools was been published by SNP education chief and Fife MSP Jenny Gilruth on Thursday morning.

Over 4,000 teachers were consulted by the research project which underpins the new guidance, and Ms Gilruth said the action plan would ensure pupils and staff were safe and supported.

Ms Gilruth, a former teacher, said: “While it is clear that the vast majority of pupils in our schools continue to behave well, there are undoubtedly growing behavioural issues associated with mobile phones.

“This new guidance empowers headteachers to take the steps they see fit for their school to limit the use of mobile phones, including a full ban on the school estate if they feel that is required and I would encourage teachers to take all the steps they feel necessary to combat these issues.”

Levenmouth Academy. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson

What does the new school mobile phone guidance say?

The government guidance sets out that it will be up to individual schools to determine what action to take, with head teachers empowered to take the steps they see fit, including a full ban on mobile phone use in school.

MS Gilruth said: “I am clear in publishing this guidance that, as cabinet secretary, I will support any head teacher who decides to institute a ban on mobile phones in their school.

“The Scottish Government does not intend to dictate approaches to our head teachers – they know better than anyone the specific approach which will work best in their school.”

A number of independent schools have already introduced such a ban, including the closure-hit Kilgraston School in Perthshire.

Headmistress Dorothy MacGinty banned mobile phones in 2018.