- More than 30 primary schools in St Albans, Hertfordshire, banned smartphones for students up to age 14 due to the negative impact of social media use outside of school.
- Educators said the ban resulted in improved attention, relationships, and a decrease in smartphone ownership among older primary students too.
- Prior to the ban, WhatsApp was a major source of bullying and negativity, including exposure to harmful content.
- While the ban has reduced issues, some problems persist, highlighting the need for a broader strategy to address phone and social media use.
- Parents and educators are advocating for wider adoption of such bans, including at the secondary school level, and for government support in implementing stricter measures.
IN FULL
Last year, an entire town’s primary schools banned smartphones. This is what happened
