Largs Academy's new mobile phone policy is revealed

This year, the school have established a pupil leadership team comprising 4-5 pupils in every year group through to S6 to represent pupils and influence decision making.

And one of the key delivery concepts is supporting the mobile phone policy of the secondary school.

The new policy states that mobile phones and personal headphones are not to be seen, heard, or used at any time within the school building. This includes at interval, lunch time, during transitions and before the bell goes at the beginning of the school day.

Mobile phones and headphones can be used outside.

An Academy spokesperson said: "The purpose of the pupil leadership group is to represent pupil voice and influence decision making across the school.

Pupil leadership teams have been set up for all years with a range of priorities set out for the coming year (Image: Largs Academy)

"During our first meeting we discussed our mobile phone policy approach, approaches to learning that work best, the school curriculum and wellbeing.

"Pupils are creating an action plan with a number of priorities that they will be leading on across the school."

Headteachers across Scotland have been empowered to ban pupils from using mobile phones at school under new Scottish Government guidance.

It follows a survey by the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, which found 71 per cent of members said the misuse of mobile phones was having an impact on poor pupil behaviour and learning.

Education secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “The Scottish Government does not intend to dictate approaches to our headteachers – they know better than anyone the specific approach which will work best in their school.

“But we are making clear with this guidance that our headteachers are empowered to take action up to and including a whole school bans.”