Smartphones to be banned from 57 RBWM schools by the end of the year

Fifty-seven schools in Windsor and Maidenhead have today (Friday 4 July) signed a letter stating that they will be smartphone free by the end of this year.

The letter explains that smartphones will either not be allowed on site or they will become inaccessible during the school day and on school trips. Each school will have its own policy.

Since this covers about 65 per cent of the 85+ schools in RBWM, it is expected that this major move will impact about 20,000 children.

The 57 schools include maintained schools, academies, independent and special schools, and range from infant to secondary schools.

The letter also encourages parents to delay giving children a smartphone until they are at least 14 (end of Year 9) and social media until at least 16.

It reads: "We want young people to prioritise in-person interactions and to benefit from the stronger social skills, empathy and sense of community that real-world contact offers. We believe that removing access to smartphones in schools is an important place to start."

Smartphone Free Childhood, a grassroots movement with local branches, has long been of the view that smartphones should be kept out of schools.

Its members have held assemblies and meetings to raise awareness for parents, teachers and members of the community across the country.

Their view is that the evidence shows that smartphone use has been linked to multiple social, academic and mental health problems, as well as exposing young people to avoidable risk of harm.

Following the launch of the national movement, a group of parents in RBWM got together to emulate school consortiums seen elsewhere.

Responding to this letter, Jenny Knight, parent volunteer organiser in RBWM for Smartphone Free Childhood, said:

“I am proud of the headteachers and senior leadership teams in RBWM who have collectively stood up to say no to Big Tech and yes to enhanced learning environments and better mental health for our children.

“I also really hope that this strong position the schools are adopting will help reset expectations and remove social peer pressure around smartphones, supporting parents to make healthy, positive decisions for their children.”

Charters School in Sunningdale is one of the Royal Borough schools which already instigated a full ban of phones in school at the beginning of term (June 2), using lockable phone pouches.

John Fletcher, headteacher, said the results ‘have been incredibly positive’ for both staff and students.

“We have no regrets about our decision and we are very happy to support this wider campaign in our Borough,” he said.

“We can’t do it alone though, which is why we are also encouraging parents to delay getting children smartphones until at least Year 9 as well.”

Furze Platt Senior School, which did the same thing, also felt there had been improvements in students’ focus and welfare right away.

Full list of schools committing to becoming smartphone-free:

• All Saints CE Junior School, Maidenhead

• Altwood Church of England School, Maidenhead

• Alwyn Infant School, Maidenhead

• Beech Lodge, Hurley

• Bisham CofE Academy, Bisham

• Boyne Hill CE Infant & Nursery School, Maidenhead

• Braywick Court School, Maidenhead

• Braywood CofE First School, Windsor

• Burchetts Green CE Infant School, Maidenhead

• Charters School, Sunningdale, Ascot

• Churchmead CofE School, Datchet, Slough

• Claires Court Juniors, Maidenhead

• Claires Court Seniors, Maidenhead

• Clewer Green CofE First School, Windsor

• Cookham Dean CofE Primary School, Cookham Dean, Maidenhead

• Cookham Rise Primary School, Cookham Rise, Maidenhead

• Courthouse Junior School, Maidenhead

• Cox Green School, Maidenhead

• Dedworth Green First School, Windsor

• Dedworth Middle School

• Eton Porny CofE First School, Eton, Windsor

• Eton Wick CofE First School, Eton Wick, Windsor

• Furze Platt Primary Federation, Maidenhead

• Furze Platt Senior School, Maidenhead

• Herries Prep School, Cookham Dean, Maidenhead

• Hilltop First School, Windsor

• Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Cookham, Maidenhead

• Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Sunningdale, Ascot

• Holyport CofE Primary School & Foundation Unit, Holyport, Maidenhead

• Homer First School and Nursery, Windsor

• King’s Court First School, Old Windsor, Windsor

• Knowl Hill CofE Academy, Knowl Hill

• Lowbrook Academy, Cox Green, Maidenhead

• Manor Green School and The Link, Maidenhead

• Newlands Girls’ School, Maidenhead

• Oakfield First School, Windsor

• Riverside Primary School and Nursery, Maidenhead

• South Ascot Village School, Ascot

• St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School, Maidenhead

• St Edward’s Catholic First School, Windsor

• St Francis Catholic Primary School, Ascot

• St Luke’s CofE Primary School, Maidenhead

• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Maidenhead

• St Michael’s CofE Primary School, Sunninghill, Ascot

• St Peter’s Church of England Middle School, Old Windsor, Windsor

• St Piran’s, Maidenhead

• The King’s House School, Windsor

• The Marist School, Ascot

• The Queen Anne Royal Free CofE First School, Windsor

• The Royal School, Windsor

• The Windsor Boys’ School, Windsor

• Trinity St Stephen CofE First School, Windsor

• Waltham St Lawrence Primary School, Waltham St Lawrence

• Wessex Primary School, Cox Green, Maidenhead

• White Waltham CofE Academy, White Waltham

• Windsor Girls’ School, Windsor

• Wraysbury Primary School, Wraysbury