Burnage Academy for Boys said banning phones made a ‘big impact’ at the school (Image: Getty)
One of the first UK schools to ban mobile phones has revealed their pupils are now more sociable and involved in activities than ever before.
In October all schools in England were given government guidance to curb mobile phone use during the school day.
But 12 years ago Burnage Academy for Boys, in Greater Manchester, banned phones – with associate assistant head teacher Greg Morrison now saying that ban’s made a “big impact” in the school.
Last year it was named UK Secondary School of the Year at the 2024 TES Schools Awards in London, with judges praising it as an “inspiring and inclusive school where students thrive, love learning and achieve exceptionally well.”
Now Mr Morrison has explained that part of their success is all down to making the drastic step over a decade ago to ban all phone use on site – meaning there was “one less distraction in the classroom”.
Many young people spends several hours a day on their phones (Image: Getty)
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Phones are not allowed among pupils at any point – including break times – until the end of the school day.
Mr Morrison explained: “We have seen a big impact in terms of engagement in class.
“When you see groups of young people out and about in town, they’re all sitting round the table looking at their phones and not talking.
“What we see here at lunchtime is pupils playing football, pupils sitting talking, pupils sharing food with each other.”
Year 11 student Logan said he liked the ban in school as it meant he was not distracted.
While another student, Lucas, said: “Me and my mates, we just talk to each other for the whole lunch.”
The government guidance allows schools to decide their own policies on mobile phone use.
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Dr Louise Black, from the University of Manchester’s School of Education, said it was important “to keep having conversations about digital literacy and staying safe”.
Education expert Dr Black said: “Phones are very much part of young people’s lives”.
She said young people use them “in lots of different ways” and some teachers find it useful to use apps in the classroom.
But she stressed schools “are very varied and what works in one school won’t necessarily work in another”.