With Safer Internet Day on 11th February, 1decision Education and Partnerships Adviser, Sophie Hearn, is exploring:
- How smartphones are impacting children’s well-being and education
- The growing conversation around smartphone-free schools
- What steps we can take to create a healthier digital future
From Simplicity to Screen Addiction
Within minutes of searching for my first phone online – a Nokia 3410, I found it listed as a ‘vintage phone’ on eBay. Vintage! I was only nine when I received that phone, seen as a practical tool for checking in during my short walks home from school. Back then, the extent of its features offered no more than buying ringtones from the back of magazine adverts and rounds of the game Snake if you felt adventurous. There was no camera, no Wi-Fi, and certainly no apps. It was simple, limited, and in hindsight, quite liberating to have.
Fast forward two decades and smartphones have exposed children and young people to a brand-new world, reshaping young minds, relationships and the atmosphere of learning. A recent two-part Channel 4 documentary Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones exposes these changes within the first 15 minutes, with Dr Rangan Chatterjee noting there are around ‘1 in 4 children now using smartphones in an addictive or compulsive manner.’ What’s even more concerning is that 12-year-olds are using devices for anywhere between two to eight hours a day, sometimes even sitting on one app like TikTok for hours on end. These statistics highlight a societal shift of how young people are focusing their attention both in and outside of school.
In the documentary, presenters Emma and Matt Willis who are themselves parents to three children, follow a group of Year 8 pupils at a school in Essex who give up their smartphones for 21 days. Emma and Matt also hand in their own phones. In partnership with the University of York, pupils were monitored through their behavioural changes, assessed sleep quality, attention span, mood, stress, and overall enjoyment of life. It was at one part of the documentary, however, that really saddened me, where one pupil said they were ‘locking his life away’. There is so much more to life that we need to support children and young people in seeing and valuing.
The Case for Smartphone-Free Schools: A Growing Movement
Whether you’re a parent, educator, work in tech, or simply care about the future of our children and society, we all share a responsibility in safeguarding children’s wellbeing and shaping a healthier digital future. Across the country there are a growing number of advocates for smartphone-free schools and even calls for a nationwide ban on devices for children under a certain age. The experiment in Essex is part of a wider global conversation where other countries have already taken decisive steps to ban phones in schools, notably France who in 2018 banned mobile devices for those under the age of 15. Many argue that smartphone use in schools is damaging concentration, social pressures and blurring lines between the digital world and reality.
However, a recent study from the University of Birmingham has found that banning smartphones in schools does not significantly improve pupils' academic performance or mental well-being. The research suggests that while phone bans have little impact on sleep, physical activity, or classroom behaviour, pupils' overall smartphone and social media use outside school hours plays a much greater role in their mental health. The findings challenge the idea that restricting phone use in schools alone is an effective solution for improving pupil outcomes.
The Role of Digital Literacy in Schools
When we look at how digital literacy is covered in schools, it is generally split across multiple subjects; notably PSHE/RSHE, computing, citizenship, and further through tutor time, extra-curricular activities and external speakers. There is a concern that digital literacy is therefore being thrown at schools with too many grey areas and not enough dedicated curriculum coverage, leading to an increased risk that topics are not being taught consistently or in some cases, not at all. In a UK Parliament report published in May 2024 on the impact of screen time in education and well-being, The Department for Education provided a limited amount of data on the confidence of parents and children in the digital literacy curriculum but stated that it ‘does not have any specific evidence on the effectiveness of digital safety education’. When children are measured it appears that their digital capabilities are poor, with data from Internet Matters and Ofcom displaying that over one fifth (21%) of children aged 9–16 are not confident about how to stay safe online.
We must prioritise teaching children to navigate the digital world on their own safely both inside and outside of the classroom and focus on integrating effective digital literacy on a much higher level in schools. A greater prioritisation of personal development and life skills education in schools is surely the first and most important priority we must look at, as advocated for by the Lessons4Life campaign. The desired outcome? More effective time in the curriculum, earlier and better targeted intervention, the potential impact on major societal challenges and related government spend over time.
Other steps are being taken to address the critical need for improved digital literacy education. The Online Safety Act is a landmark legislative step towards creating safer digital spaces by holding tech and social media organisations more accountable in taking more proactive measures to protect users, especially children. Similarly, Ofcom’s new online safety priorities and its recently launched study into the effects of social media on children further demonstrate a focused approach towards understanding and reducing risks faced by young users.
Balancing Technology and Childhood: Defining Values Over Rules
However, when we look at the overarching topic of constant connectivity, is the question about imposing policies and rules, or about defining values and priorities? When I think about the role of technology in education and society, I acknowledge the risks but also consider the undeniable benefits. The conversation about smartphones and their place in children’s lives is definitely far from over. Ultimately, the goal is not to eliminate technology but to guide its use in a way that protects what matters most – curiosity, connection, and the freedom for children to explore life beyond the screen.
As we mark Safer Internet Day, it’s crucial that we go back to recognising the role we all play in shaping a digital landscape that empowers children rather than overwhelming them. Whether advocating for smartphone-free schools, helping parents set healthier boundaries at home, or ensuring tech organisations prioritise safety for young people, we must work together. By equipping children with the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world safely, encouraging open conversations, and providing the right resources, we can help them make informed choices about their digital lives.
To support these discussions with your school community, you can receive complimentary access to our KS1 Image Sharing topic in the 1decision Taster Pack.
