New mobile phone policy for Western Isles schools

Primary and secondary school pupils are to be discouraged from having their phones in class

Western Isles councillors have agreed to a new policy on pupils' use of mobile phones and tablets in the islands' schools.

The devices are to be banned during class-time in the isles' four secondaries, unless permitted by teachers for educational purposes.

In primary schools, children are to be discouraged from taking their phones or tablets.

Councillors agreed there could be potential exceptions to this rule and these should be taken into consideration in individual cases.

Scottish government guidance allows head teachers to make their own decisions on mobile phone use.

The comhairle's new policy requires schools to review their current rules to ensure consistency with national and local guidance.

Stornoway South SNP councillor Frances Murray said she was pleased there was an element of flexibility for individual schools.

"I think we have to recognise that our schools are very, very, different, and the policies that could be used for policing in the smallest school would be very, very, difficult to implement in the biggest school," she said.

"So I think that's a very sensible thing to have done, to have the overarching policy with the overarching intentions, and allowing schools to model safe, respectful, and appropriate use of digital devices."

Reporting by local democracy journalist Peter Urpeth.