Mobile phones: guidance for Scotland's schools

Guiding principles underpinning respectful and responsible use of mobile phones

11. Pupil, staff and parental confidence in the respectful and responsible use of mobile phones in schools lays the foundations for schools to positively embrace technology as another learning tool.

12. In alignment with the wider approach to relationships and behaviour policy in Scottish schools, this guidance is set in the context of an approach located in the promotion of positive relationships and behaviour. The significant advancements in mobile technology mean the use of mobile phones and other mobile devices are often part of pupils’ and families’ everyday lives. This is particularly so following the COVID-19 pandemic, where pupils were actively encouraged to undertake their learning online and relied on mobile technology as a key means of communication with teachers, friends and family.

13. This guidance therefore seeks to widen the considerations schools and education authorities should give to respectful and responsible use of mobile phone policies and suggests the following.

• The approach to what constitutes respectful and responsible use of mobile phones should be informed by the consideration of the full range of relevant rights under the UNCRC in light of their local circumstances, with acting in the best interests of the child as a key consideration.
• The approach must also be informed by the need to protect both pupils and staff from the risks of mobile phones, including protection from misuse and abuse. Policies must therefore be consistent with relevant legislation (for example, health and safety legislation for staff and pupils) and existing IT codes of conduct.
• In order to give effect to the respect for the views of the child, policies relating to respectful and responsible use of mobile phones should be developed through engagement with the whole school community – pupils, staff, parents and carers. This is the most effective means of ensuring two-way engagement with, and commitment to, the policy.
• Policies should target pupils’ skills and behaviours when interacting with mobile technology. Policies should focus on the behaviours and/or functionalities of technologies that may be used inappropriately, such as sending or receiving messages or notifications, playing videos or music, or recording videos or audios in class, to develop approaches that may apply to a range of mobile technologies.
• Policies should set out clear expectations of what standards of behaviour are expected from all members of the school community, including pupils, staff, parents and carers as well as what action will be taken when such expectations are not met.
• Policies should be clearly communicated with pupils, staff, parents and carers so that all members of the school community are aware of expectations of behaviour and apply this consistently.
• The policy should be regularly reviewed to ensure the commitment of new staff, pupils, parents and carers to the policy and to take account of experience of implementation and new developments in technology.