One of England’s largest school academy trusts is preparing to prohibit the use of phones during the school day. Ormiston Academies Trust confirmed to the media that it will gradually restrict smartphone access for approximately 35,000 students across its 42 state schools nationwide.
A spokesperson for the trust stated that mobile phones negatively affect “teaching and learning, behavior, and children’s mental health.” Earlier this year, the Department for Education, under the previous Conservative government, updated its guidelines, granting school leaders in England the authority to ban phone use during school hours.
These new regulations will be implemented across all Ormiston schools, which include six primary and 32 secondary institutions, ranging from Cheshire in the north to the Isle of Wight in the south. Eight secondary schools have already tested “different approaches” to the policy this autumn, following consultations with parents, and one school has become completely phone-free. According to the spokesperson, this approach has been “highly successful” and “popular” with both parents and students.
Phones are already banned at the trust’s primary, special needs, and alternative provision schools. “We want schools to adopt this change at their own pace, as they are in the best position to understand their communities and involve parents and students in the process,” the spokesperson added.
Ormiston’s chief executive, Tom Rees, emphasized that smartphones have disrupted students’ education and well-being, pointing out a “clear correlation” between phone use and mental health concerns.
Tom Bennett, a behavior advisor for the Department for Education, told media that banning smartphones is the “smartest thing” schools can do, describing them as “attention hoovers.” He noted that enforcement of such policies has been inconsistent in some schools but believes a universal ban would reduce peer pressure and help students adjust.
In February, the Department for Education released guidance to curb mobile phone use in schools to “minimize disruption and improve behavior in classrooms.” Bennett suggested the government could go further by making it mandatory for schools to ban phones, with limited exceptions at the discretion of the headteacher.
In May, a parliamentary committee urged the government to consider banning smartphones for children under 16, citing “serious dangers” related to online activity. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed reservations about an outright ban for under-16s but acknowledged the importance of addressing what children can access online.
Meanwhile, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle told the media that the government is closely monitoring the potential impact of Australia’s upcoming ban on social media for all under-16s. The Australian government has pledged to introduce legislation this year enforcing a minimum age for social media access.
