Edinburgh Council has launched a consultation on banning mobile phones in all Edinburgh schools.
The Education, Children and Families Committee is considering banning or restricting phone use in all schools. The council is also considering lockable pouches to support restrictions on mobile phone use in secondary schools, and lockable cabinets in primary schools.
They know that not everyone feels the same way about this and they would like to know what you think. They are also asking pupils and school staff and for their views. All the feedback shared will help the council reach a decision.
The consultation is taking place after a report discussed at Education, Children and Families Committee outlined an initial evaluation of a two-year pilot underway at two Edinburgh secondary schools, Portobello and Queensferry High Schools, which has through the use of lockable pouches restricted access to mobile phones during the school day. Both schools report that, in the relatively short time pouches have been in use, feedback is largely positive.
The consultation is open until Monday 2 March 2026 and can be completed online here.
Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convener said:
In September 2025, it was agreed that restricting the use of mobile phones in our schools would be a positive step forward. We want these new measures to be brought in as soon as is practical, but it is the right thing to do to make sure that citywide consultation with families and communities, alongside an integrated impact assessment, takes place to explore and address any issues or concerns.
Through many conversations, I understand that there is broad support for keeping smartphones out of the classroom, however there are individuals who have concerns which makes it even more important that as a Council we get this change right. Pilots, using lockable pouches, at Queensferry and Portobello High Schools have anecdotally been broadly successful, and as such the rollout of pouches in other settings needs to be explored. This includes options for financing mobile phone restrictions and the potential use of lockable pouches in secondary schools and lockable cabinets in primary schools.
I am working closely with officers to move this forward as quickly as we can, while also making sure that we have done our due diligence to ensure that restricting mobile phones in our schools will have the intended positive impact.
