Lessons of phone ban

PARENTS, exasperated by the hours their children spend glued to the screens of their mobile phones, may not be surprised to learn of the outcome of a new policy in one Scottish school,

Kilgraston School in Perthshire has recorded its best exam results in five years after enforcing a ban on mobiles during school hours. Staff say that as soon as phones were prised from pupils’ hands, there was an immediate improvement in attention spans and concentration.

Some will argue that mobile devices are a fact of modern life and they may be correct. But young people have enough to contend with as they work to secure exam results that will set them on course for life without the endless stresses and distraction of social media.

Other schools may have something to learn from Kilgraston. We’re sure many parents would agree.