Under new plans to change pupil access, mobile phones will be banned from use during lessons in schools across East Lothian.
A new phone policy will see primary one to three children barred from taking them to school with lockable boxes for primary four to seven pupils to hand them in for the entire school day.
It will also provide secondary school classrooms with pouches that students will be expected to put their phones in during classes as well as a ban on using them in school corridors.
The new policy to create mobile phone free learning environments come after East Lothian Council was able to roll out personal laptops to every secondary child and reduce the ratio of shared laptops in primary schools to one per two pupils.
In a report to councillors next week, they will be asked to approve the changes which it estimated will cost an addition £13,125.
Surveys were carried out among pupils of all ages, teachers and parents and carers to gather views on mobile phone use day to day.
It found around 15 per cent of P1 to P3 children own a mobile phone rising to 45 per cent with older primary school children with around half of them bringing them to school every day.
However it also revealed the main use for the primary pupils was when travelling to and from school.
The report said: “While mobile phone access is prevalent among primary learners, their presence at school is largely driven by a need for secure communication during daily commutes rather than for use during the school day.”
In secondary school 98 per cent of students owned mobile phones and brought them to school although the survey said more than 80 per cent said they never of rarely used their phone in class.
The report said: “Eighty per cent report no conflict with teachers, friends or peers due to phone use and 75 per cent agree that they need a phone for travel, after-school activities and family contact.
“The most common attitude (62%) expressed is that phones are part of modern life and young people should be taught to use them responsibly.”
The report reveals Dunbar Grammar has been piloting a pouch system which requires students to ‘hang up’ their phones in class which could be rolled out at a cost of £4,725, compared to the cost of using the same pouch system used in Edinburgh which it says would cost the council over £100,000 to introduce.
The plans will go before councillors for approval next week.
