Across the UK, the debate around smartphones in schools is intensifying — and it’s not just teachers and parents with strong opinions. Increasingly, pupils themselves are voicing support for restrictions on phone use during the school day.
In West Northamptonshire, the local council is currently consulting on whether to issue official guidance to schools on smartphone use. The move follows growing calls from campaigners such as Smartphone Free Childhood, who are encouraging parents to delay giving their children smartphones until at least the age of 14.
“Smartphones and schools don’t mix,” says Daisy Greenwell, co-founder of the campaign. “We all know the addictive pull of these devices makes it incredibly hard for children to concentrate, focus and learn.”
According to Ofcom, 97% of 12–15-year-olds in the UK now own a mobile phone — and surprisingly, so do nearly one in five children aged 3–5. It’s a statistic that underlines just how central screens have become in modern childhood.
What Pupils Think
At Earls Barton Primary School in Northampton, a full smartphone ban was introduced this academic year. The response from students? Largely positive.
Maggie, 10, says the rule helps protect children from the pressures of social media:
“Social media can make girls feel insecure about their bodies. People tell you what you should wear or how you should look — it can make you feel bad about yourself.”
She uses her phone mainly to stay in touch with her parents and to play games:
“I got my phone so my parents know I’m safe when I walk to the park with a friend.”
Her classmate Ethan, also 10, agrees the policy has benefits:
“If you get hurt or into trouble, it’s good to have your phone — but it’s also better we don’t have them in school so we can focus.”
Both children said they would support similar rules when they move up to secondary school.
The View from Older Students
At The Duston School in Northampton, older students like Ameerah, 17, and Deniz, 17, have a more nuanced take.
Ameerah says she spends around six hours a day on her phone, mainly on apps like Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok. Her parents introduced location sharing when she was younger, but now allow her more freedom with built-in age restrictions.
Deniz, meanwhile, welcomes her school’s balanced approach:
“We’re allowed limited access to phones. It’s helpful when computers are full and you need to check work, but it’s also easy to get distracted and start scrolling.”
What Schools and Parents Say
Teachers, too, are noticing the impact of these policies. Beth Griffiths, a science teacher and co-head of Year 13 at The Duston School, says the key is partnership with parents:
“Most parents fully support not using phones in school. They understand it’s about helping children focus and feel less pressure from social media.”
While schools can’t enforce a single rule across all trusts, the Department for Education has set out four recommended approaches:
- Collecting phones at the start of the day
- Storing them securely during lessons
- Requiring that they stay out of sight and unused
- Banning them altogether
A Shared Goal
For both parents and teachers, the goal isn’t to demonise technology — it’s to help children develop healthy digital habits. A smartphone-free school day can mean more focused lessons, richer friendships, and a calmer classroom environment.
As the conversation continues, one thing is clear: many pupils themselves see the value in switching off — at least until the school bell rings.