The schools where smartphones won't be allowed

A London borough is making moves to ban smartphones from its schools.

From September, 103 primary schools in Barnet will not allow smartphones to be brought in and 23 secondary schools will commit to working towards removing smartphones entirely from the school day.

This is according to the Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) charity, which says the "groundbreaking" policy was made possible by school leaders, Barnet Public Health, Dan Tomlinson MP and the SFC community.

The charity is also encouraging parents to delay smartphone purchases until their children are at least 14 and to prevent their access to social media until they are 16.

The charity has said from this year, all new Year 7 students in the north London borough will be prohibited from bringing smartphones to school up to Year 11.

According to the SFC, this is the first policy of its kind in the UK.

The SFC says that more than 63,000 state-educated children in Barnet will benefit from a seven-hour window in the day when they can "learn, socialise and grow, free from addictive algorithms".

The charity's regional leader for north London, Nova Eden, said: "There is a lot of evidence to show there is a direct correlation and causative link between the use of smartphones and social media in young children and the rise in cases of depression, anxiety and self-harm.

"We really want children to be free from the dangers of smartphones and social media and to enjoy a play-based childhood, which is full of healthy development - away from devices and screens.

"When parents, schools and educational leaders come together, we can create meaningful change for the next generation," the mother of three added.

BBC London asked members of the public about the policy.

"I think it will really help students with their engagement in their learning," a student said.

One man told us: "I do think it is important to prioritise reframing from using phones at school and I think it's important to have the conversation at home with them first."

A mother said: "We use smartphones to watch our son travel here, there and everywhere, to know that he's safe."

The SFC also signposts parents to other types of phones such as "brick" phones, which only allow calls and texts, or other models that can access podcasts and music, but offer no internet access.

Ms Eden said: "We are not saying no phones, just one without the dangers of the internet in the child's pocket.

"Until these platforms are safe for children, the risks far outweigh the benefits of having a smartphone."

It follows a similar announcement by Ealing Council last month, in which more than 70 primary schools in the borough pledged to go smartphone-free.

The running total of schools in north London that are now implementing or working towards becoming smartphone-free is 250, said the SFC.

"This is about the tragedy of modern childhood - children don't need smartphones, childreen need a childhood and we urgently need the government to act now," Ms Eden added.

The BBC has approached Barnet Council and Dan Tomlinson MP for comment.

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