Approximately 20% of secondary school teachers have disclosed that their schools either confiscate students’ mobile phones at the beginning of the day or require them to be stored in special pouches.
As students return to school for the new academic year, recent surveys shed light on the strategies schools are employing to address this issue. A small percentage of secondary school teachers indicated that mobile phones are completely banned on school premises. Moreover, more than half of the teachers mentioned that students are not allowed to use mobile phones at all during the school day. These findings follow a call from Brianna Ghey’s mother, Esther Ghey, for a legal prohibition on smartphones in schools.
Esther Ghey, who petitioned the government, believes that such a ban could have potentially saved her daughter’s life, according to a report by the BBC. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has previously emphasized that smartphones should not have a place in schools. Additionally, Sir Martyn Oliver, the head of Ofsted, expressed his support for a comprehensive ban on smartphones if he were to return to a school leadership role. The survey conducted by TeacherTapp involved nearly 6,000 secondary school teachers in England and took place in early September.
In response to the survey, teachers were asked about their schools’ policies regarding student mobile phones. About 13% stated that students are not allowed to use mobile phones during the school day unless instructed by a teacher. Furthermore, 18% mentioned that mobile phones are either collected or placed in pouches at the beginning of the day and returned at the end. One type of pouch functions by locking the phone inside upon placement and can only be unlocked by tapping it on a base.
Mark Lehain, the executive headteacher at Wootton Academy Trust in Bedford, outlined the measures his upper school is taking to address the issue of mobile phones. At Wootton Upper School, penalties for violating the phone policy have been strengthened temporarily while the school explores a new policy that may involve storing phones in pouches or boxes. Lehain described mobile phones as detrimental to students, citing distractions from learning and safety concerns related to inappropriate content being circulated.
Lehain stated, “Currently, phones are prohibited on school premises, must be turned off, and placed at the bottom of students’ bags. They are not allowed to be used during lessons unless for specific medical needs or at the teacher’s direction. Due to past incidents of bullying and abuse, the school is increasing sanctions for policy breaches as an interim measure.”
He added, “Our goal is to transition to a completely phone-free school environment to enhance student safety. This transition will involve collaboration with families, students, and staff to address logistical challenges.”
Daniel Kebede, the General Secretary of the National Education Union, emphasized the importance of clear school policies in reducing screen time for students and maintaining engagement in learning. He highlighted the significance of having stringent policies in place across all schools, noting that banning phones alone may not address all issues stemming from online content accessed outside of school hours.