Moray teacher welcomes news that mobile phones will be banned from schools

A teacher has welcomed the ban on mobile phones in Moray schools and said there are “very few” instances where devices are used positively.

Moray Council agreed a crackdown on the use of mobiles in both primary and secondary schools at a meeting on Tuesday, May 13.

New rules mean that phones will be completely banned in primaries and must be switched off and put away during class times in secondary schools.

There are exemptions to the rules, which come into effect in August, for health reasons, for carers and for ASN pupils.

Moray supply teacher Sheila Brumby was present at the meeting which saw the ban put in place.

She said: “There are very few instances where pupils are using their mobile phones in school for educational benefits.”

She added that her classes have been disrupted many times by pupils messaging both in and outside of the school.

Mrs Brumby said: “I’ve had a child say – my mum’s just texted to say that we are going out for dinner tonight.

“Why would they need to know that in the middle of class when [parents] know that children are attending class?”

She added she experienced parents phoning “children during class time” which to her was “unacceptable.”

Mrs Brumby continued that she and and another teacher had been filmed and shared, without her “say so,” on TikTok.

Councillors unanimously agreed with the guidance, but warned pupils may be at risk of becoming unsafe on journeys to school and could lose confidence in the classroom.

Amber Dunbar (Elgin City North, Conservative) said phone restrictions in school had “fallen away” in recent years but raised concerns about the primary school ban.

She said some pupils’ “only option” is to walk alone to school and not having a phone could be unsafe for them.

In response, Moray Council’s head of education Vivienne Cross said: “The responsibility to get your child to school lies with the parents.”

Mrs Cross added that the guidance covers “devices” which includes smartwatches, some of which have cellular connection, to avoid pupils skirting the new rules.

It is her hope that teachers will be freed up in classroom to continue teaching without as many interruptions.

Individual head teachers and schools have until August to create their own phone policy from the council guidance.