High School to Implement Mobile Phone Storage Policy for Pupils

A secondary school will mandate that pupils deposit their devices into a box each morning, as it introduces a mobile phone prohibition that it asserts will “improve learning, behaviour and mental health”. Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy, located in Runcorn, announced that starting in January, pupils will be required to place their phones in a box at the beginning of the school day and will only be permitted to retrieve them before departing for home. However, some parents have expressed concerns about the initiative, contending that a lack of access to phones could lead to an increase in anxiety among pupils. The school is part of the Ormiston Trust, which reported that feedback from other trust schools where phones have been banned has been “really positive” from both parents and pupils. This program has already been implemented in some of the trust’s 44 schools nationwide, including Ormiston Chadwick Academy in Widnes, which initiated the ban in September. A trust spokesperson stated: “Over time, we believe it is desirable for us to move to a position where children do not access their phones at all throughout the school day”. One parent informed the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that obliging some children to relinquish their phones could be detrimental. The parent, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: “The phones will be locked up for the rest of the school day, meaning if an emergency happens, children will not be able to contact home. Would you trust your child’s school with their phone?” The parent further questioned: “What is the need for children to be stripped away from the one thing that keeps them safe?” The trust mentioned that they had already observed positive indicators across other schools after phones were stored away for the day. They added: “High standards, strong academic outcomes, good behaviour and mental health are all key priorities for the academy, and so being phone-free supports all those aims.”