Ban on mobile phones in the classroom for pupils at Wick High School next term
Wick High School (WHS) has come down hard on the use of mobile phones in the classroom by prohibiting their use by pupils in the school and on its grounds.
In a post on its website, dated June 10, WHS says it has updated its policy on mobile phones, and this was finalised after a period of consultation with its parents/carers, pupils and staff.
It further states: “This policy will begin with the start of the new academic year, on Tuesday 19th August, and will essentially mean that mobile devices will be prohibited in the school building and grounds during the school day.
“We understand that this is a change from the current policy and, therefore, we would like to issue it to our school community as early as possible.
“Rest assured, we will be covering the topics raised in the new policy with pupils through lessons and assemblies to give our young people a chance to adjust to the systems which will be in place after the summer break.”
The initial statement ended by stating that the school welcomes any questions which parents/carers might have and that it will be happy to help communicate further over the matter.
The school also supplied a 12-page document explaining the new policy in more detail and how WHS was working in line with Scottish Government recommendations.
WHS says it recognises the importance of technology in students’ lives but that the “presence of mobile phones in school creates a distraction from learning”.
“By reducing this distraction, we aim to enhance learning, prioritise social interaction, and promote safety and wellbeing.”
Highland Council has urged schools in its jurisdiction to initiate discussions regarding students' mobile phone use in classrooms, citing excessive usage as a "significant issue."
This follows bans already implemented at Nairn Academy and Grantown Grammar School. Moray Council has banned them as well.
The local authority’s move comes after a unanimous vote last month by councillors, backing a proposal for a broader public consultation on the matter.
Highland councillors backed a proposal from Labour's Michael Gregson and Conservative's Helen Crawford in May for a wider consultation on a new region-wide policy.
The two councillors expressed their “delight” after no changes were proposed to their motion, meaning it passed without debate.
Cllr Gregson said: “At the end of the day, we all want our kids to thrive and having the constant distraction of a mobile phone clearly does not help. Let’s get these phones out of schools and let’s free up our kids to concentrate and learn.”
Both councillors said they welcomed any questions which parents/carers might have over the issue.