This decision is part of a trend in response to increasing concerns over students’ over-reliance on cell phones. The possible policy change seeks to keep up with the increasing dependence on smartphones. This trend is particularly acute amongst students, with studies finding that some adolescents are “terminally online.”
Bobby, a 15-year-old student, shared that many of his peers constantly monitor their social media accounts throughout the school day. As one parent put it at the Roundtable, today’s culture is one in which continuous distraction from mobile devices affects true academic engagement. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Marria reported that she spends around two-and-a-half hours daily on her phone but feels in control of her usage. She takes the initiative to schedule reminders to cut back on her screen time, which is something many of her peers don’t do.
Yet the school’s headmaster, Mr. Penny, noted that compliance with policy hovers close to 50 percent among students. They don’t shut their phones off during school hours. For the rest of the students, their phones are usually on vibrate mode. He expressed his concerns about primary school students being exposed to adult content on WhatsApp groups. He noted that students have been posting violent, incendiary videos online that are graphic and disturbing.
In February, the UK government introduced new guidance urging schools in England to prohibit mobile phone use at all times during the school day. This pilot project is an effort to combat the harmful effects of digital distractions on students’ learning environments and outcomes. Mr. Penny made it clear he wants more time spent on relevant classroom activities—as opposed to worrying about what students are doing on their phones.
“The children need to be focused on the classroom and not what’s going on on their phones.” – Mr. Penny
For those students who can’t get a grip on their phone use, the school’s updated policy is not enough. Marria considered both the positive and negative sides of her social media use and acknowledged that it can be hard to stick to healthy behaviors.
“But just going on TikTok for five minutes and then you find yourself scrolling for half an hour. I think it does impact our lives mentally,” – Marria
Mr. Penny is currently pursuing a £20,000 equity investment in magnetic locking pouches. These pouches will ensure students can never access their phones during school hours. This new initiative is an effort to take away that temptation and foster a more productive and focused learning environment.
Through the rigorous selection process, we’ve found that school leaders are extremely passionate and dedicated to providing the most inspiring educational experience possible. They are currently piloting a phone-free policy to remove distractions from cell phones and students’ hands. These exciting developments split open a line of stray granular questions. What we still need to determine is how these counterintuitive changes will affect students’ behavior and academic achievement.
