At St George’s College, we have had a strict smartphone policy for a number of years, which has been further tightened in the last academic year in response to the Government’s policy. Seeing our youngest students hand their phones in during morning registration and tutors locking away strong boxes has become a normal part of the school day. And as such, students have become used to life at school without a phone. Instead, they talk, play, and fully immerse themselves in the life of the school.

During the last academic year, we were becoming more and more aware of the growing evidence from psychologists and academics that smartphones and smart devices are having a damaging effect on our children. Research from Jonathan Haidt, Sapien Labs, and LSE, among others, all point to delayed smartphone ownership as beneficial for the mental and physical wellbeing of young people.

With this in mind, we took the decision to ban smartphones for our First Year students joining us this September. Instead, we have issued them with a ‘dumb’ phone, allowing them essential functionality for calls and texts only. Our plan is that, ongoing, First to Third Year students – those aged 11 to 13 – will be smartphone free. This will allow them to grow and develop in maturity, and hopefully help parents feel more able to delay purchasing the first smartphone so that children can establish the tools and coping strategies to better manage use when they do get one.

We are lucky to have partnered with Tooled Up Education this year, with membership gifted to the school by our Parents’ Association. Tooled Up Education, founded by Dr Kathy Weston, is a brilliant resource for both teachers and families, providing access to wide ranging guidance to help raise children who are self-confident, self-sufficient and full of self-worth, curious about the world and passionate about learning, and digitally skilled and digitally resilient.

“The age range 11-13 is very developmentally sensitive; it’s a very vulnerable time. That’s why it’s a good idea to not allow access to smartphones during this time, because it complicates what is already a very complex period,” Dr Kathy Weston shared. “It enables children to have the space and freedom to interact with others, and to practice social skills. Ultimately, we want children to feel good about themselves, and a phone isn’t part of that.”

Our policy, paired with our excellent pastoral care and partnership with Tooled Up Education, means that we are well placed to support families and children to enjoy a healthier learning environment.