Over 90% of schools restrict children’s use of smartphones
Over the past four years, Rachel de Souza has spoken to a million young people and thousands of parents about the most pressing issues facing children growing up in England today
The majority of schools – 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools – have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day, according to research undertaken by the Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza.
Responses to the research came from 19,000 schools and colleges, which represents nearly 90% of all present across England. The results are said to provide “the first comprehensive national evidence on smartphone policies”.
It comes as, over the past four years, de Souza has spoken to a million young people and thousands of parents about the most pressing issues facing children growing up in England today. One issue that comes up most frequently is online safety.
Rachel de Souza said: “While digital technology provides young people with unprecedented access to information and opportunities, it also exposes them to significant risks: harmful content, online bullying¸ the dangers of exploitation and grooming, and simply spending too much time online.”
“A key area of debate in recent months has been the role of mobile phones in children’s lives, particularly in schools, and whether children’s use of phones at school – and more generally – should be restricted. This led me to question what was really happening in practice across our schools and colleges when it came to mobile phone restrictions.”
She added: “That is why, when I used my statutory powers to conduct the largest-ever survey of schools and colleges last year, I included questions on how schools were managing children’s phone use.”
While these policies were found to be essential in maintaining focus, reducing distractions and promoting positive behaviour in schools, de Souza found that educators remain “deeply concerned” about children’s online safety despite these policies because most of the time children spend on their phones is outside of school hours.
Last month, de Souza commissioned YouGov to carry out a nationally representative survey of children aged eight to 15, asking them how many hours they spent on a computer, smartphone, tablet or gaming console on a normal day.
This survey confirmed that the majority of children (69%) spend more than two hours a day using one of these devices, while 23% spend more than four hours on them a day.
As a result, de Souza has suggested that the Children’s Commission’s response “must be a whole-society approach”, saying that, “parents and carers need to be supported in managing their children’s online activities and setting appropriate boundaries”.