A six-week consultation, which closed on 2 March, has seen high engagement, with almost 14,000 responses from parents/carers, pupils and school staff.
Results show overwhelming support for the introduction of restrictions in secondary schools citywide. 97% of responses from staff who work in secondary schools were in favour of school mobile phone restrictions. 57% would opt for the whole school day, while 40% would opt for part restrictions with mobile phones accessible to pupils at lunch and breaktimes.
Similarly, parents of current secondary school aged learners were supportive of mobile phone restrictions during the school day, with 94% in favour. 54% would choose restrictions for the entire school day, and 40% agreed that a part restriction including just class time would be best. Out of all parents/carers who took part in the consultation, 73% said they would be supportive of restrictions for the whole school day, with 22% preferring access to mobile phones at lunch and breaktimes.
The response from current secondary school aged pupils presented a more mixed picture with just over half (53%) stating a preference for part restrictions with mobile phones allowed at lunch and breaktimes but not in class, and just 3% in favour of restrictions for the whole school day. 43% said that they should be trusted to follow the school rules, and 32% said they didn’t think that there should be any restrictions at all.
Pilots are underway at two Edinburgh secondary schools, Portobello and Queensferry High Schools, using lockable magnetic pouches, restricting access to mobile phones during the school day. The consultation, coupled with feedback from the two pilot schools, will provide information that will allow elected members to consider the details of restrictions and the extent to which lockable pouches could be used to support mobile phone restrictions.
Almost a third (31%) of parents/carers who currently have children at an Edinburgh secondary school were in favour or a lockable pouch system, with 29% preferring phones to be secured but stored in a cabinet.
Among staff who work in secondary schools, there was an equal split when asked about implementation of restrictions, with 36% preferring a secure lockable pouch system and 38% opting for phones to be stored away but accessible.
In September 2025, Councillors agreed to restrict the use of mobile phones in schools, with the preferred option the use of lockable pouches to support restrictions on mobile phone use across all secondary schools, and lockable cabinets in primary schools.
The consultation forms part of citywide engagement work on implementing mobile phone restrictions in primary and secondary schools. An interim Integrated Impact Assessment has already taken place and will be finalised using consultation feedback. Special consideration is being given for pupils with health needs or caring responsibilities who may need access to their mobile phone during the school day. Focus groups, including with young people is ongoing. A report analysing these findings will be presented at Education, Children and Families Committee in June 2026.
Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convenor said:
I want to thank all those who have taken the time to engage with this valuable consultation. I am really pleased that such a high number of parents/carers, learners and school staff have shared their views on how potential mobile phone restrictions could work in practice.
We are being bold in our ambition when it comes to making our classrooms phone-free, and we want to be one of the first local authorities to introduce widespread restrictions. It is important that we do this in the right way and a big part of this is making sure that we have heard and take on board feedback from our communities.
This consultation forms part of our engagement and it is positive that the figures broadly show that we are on the right track. There is more work to be done to make sure that we have heard the views and concerns of our secondary school aged young people who are digital natives and understandably used to having their phone during the school day. We want to get this right so that any potential restrictions are seen as a positive step for all.