Advocating for a statutory ban of smartphones in schools until the end of year 11.
Why?
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- The current guidance isn't working: only 16% of secondary schools genuinely remove smartphones from the school day. A statutory ban would give every child the benefits of smartphone-free learning.
- Removing smartphones from schools gives kids a desperately needed break from cyberbullying, the threat of being filmed against their wishes and the relentless distraction of addictive-by-design technology.
- Removing smartphones from schools helps address inequality: vulnerable children are more likely to experience online harm so benefit the most from a break; lower-achieving students see the biggest performance gains when smartphones are removed.
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Our call to Government:
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250 headteachers and MAT CEOs have signed our letter to the Secretary of State for Education calling for the government to ban smartphones in schools.
“A mandatory ban on smartphones would take pressures off school leaders and parents, enabling them to concentrate on allowing students to achieve and thrive.”
Tom Beveridge, Headteacher, Alderbrook Secondary, Solihull
It is almost unheard of that a policy that positively impacts so many, costs so little to implement.
Prohibiting smartphones from schools is a cost-free boost to a range of government targets, from productivity, to educational attainment to child welfare.
“Simple-phones-only” policies prevent money being wasted on expensive pouches and lockables, protecting it for teaching, equipment and learning opportunities.
A statutory ban gives every child the benefits of a more focused, calmer learning environment.