Edinburgh’s last all-boys school is removing phones overnight in a drive to put sleep back at the centre of school life.
As debate continues following Westminster’s recent decision to ban mobile phones in schools, Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh is taking its own approach to managing screen use.
The independent school has their younger boarders hand in their phones and tablets each evening before bed, removing the temptation to scroll, message or game late into the night.
For Sixth Form pupils, phones remain with them but the school’s Wi-Fi switches off at 11pm, marking the end of the digital day. The policy forms part of a wider effort to encourage healthier digital habits and better sleep routines.
As a boarding school, staff also oversee evening routines and bedtime in the houses, giving them a unique view of how screen habits affect sleep.
The move comes amid growing concern about the impact smartphones are having on teenagers’ sleep and attention. Recent research by the National Literacy Trust found that fewer than one in ten boys aged 14-16 now read daily for pleasure, with screens and digital distractions increasingly dominating evenings.
Staff say reclaiming some of that evening time has become an important part of boarding life at Merchiston.
The school has also introduced The Bothy, a deliberately screen-free social space where pupils can spend time together without devices, playing board games, reading, listening to music or simply talking.
Staff say the aim is not to ban technology but to help boys develop healthier routines around sleep and downtime.
Boarding staff say the biggest change is visible in evening routines once devices are removed.
Richard Glover, house parent for the school’s middle-year boarders, where phones are handed in overnight, said: “Before we introduced clearer routines around phones, it wasn’t unusual to see boys scattered around the house late in the evening, each absorbed in their own screen messaging, gaming or scrolling.
“Once the phones are handed in, the atmosphere changes quite quickly. You start to see the more traditional side of boarding life come back with boys chatting in the common room, reading, playing pool, helping each other with homework or even cooking together in the kitchen.
“We have noticed that the boys even recognise their sleep quality improving with the school’s routine. Within a short time the house becomes much calmer and bedtime happens far more naturally.”
For older pupils, the emphasis shifts towards independence.
Nick Lieberman, house parent for the school’s Sixth Form boarders, where pupils keep their phones but Wi-Fi switches off at 11pm, said: “With Sixth Form pupils the focus is much more on independence and learning self-management of their screen time.
“They’re only a year or two away from university, so part of boarding life is helping them learn how to manage their own routines and helping them build habits they’ll carry with them beyond school.
“The evening routine in Sixth form is sacred and forms invaluable structure for the boys while in school. The boys must then be in their rooms and settling for bed from 10pm onwards.
“When the Wi-Fi switches off at 11pm it creates a natural end point in the evening and a digital switch off, limiting the opportunity for endless scrolling and also the temptation to do a bit more work because rest is so important as a part of academic study.”
Carole Crawford, whose son flexi-boards at Merchiston and spends part of the week boarding and part at home, said the school’s approach to evening phone use has helped reinforce positive sleep habits and support the routines already encouraged at home.
She said: “Like most teenagers, my son would happily stay on his phone late into the evening if he could. We have always encouraged sensible phone habits at home, and the structure at school really helps reinforce that message.
“It gives him a clear point in the evening to switch off, settle down and get a proper night’s sleep. When he comes home, that pattern carries through, and he is more conscious of putting the phone down at the right time.”
Headmaster of Merchiston Castle School, Huw Jones, said: “Sleep is fundamental to how young people learn, concentrate and manage their wellbeing. Rather than focusing on restricting or banning phones, our priority is to nurture the skills and habits that support a healthy, sustainable relationship with technology.
“In a boarding environment, we have a duty to ensure pupils have the time and space to switch off properly at night. When young people are well rested, everything improves, from focus in the classroom to how they engage with friends, sport and school life more broadly.
“I try to model good habits by locking away my own phone during the working day. It’s a simple way of showing that how we use technology has a direct impact on our attention, productivity and wellbeing.”
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