Evidence builds as educators, parents, and now policymakers confront the chaos phones bring to classrooms
The debate around smartphones in schools is no longer academic. With evidence mounting that these devices are derailing lessons, damaging mental health, and driving up discipline problems, the calls for an outright ban are becoming harder to ignore.
Now, an East London school’s dramatic improvement after enforcing a smartphone ban has turned heads—and fired up a national conversation.
Hackney School’s Experiment Becomes a Rallying Cry
Excelsior Academy in Hackney wasn’t trying to make headlines. It just wanted to fix a problem.
The school banned smartphones. Cold turkey. No scrolling under the desk, no filming teachers, no social media drama unfolding mid-lesson. The results? Startling.
Students jumped an entire grade level, from C to B. Discipline issues plummeted. Kids were more focused, more sociable—even kinder.
One line from headteacher Omar Deria has stuck with many: “They are more articulate, chattier, nicer, more engaged.” Teachers agree. Parents are backing it too.
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What began as a school policy is now turning into a wider campaign. Teachers across the country are pointing to Excelsior as proof that the solution is in plain sight—and overdue.
Distraction, Discipline, and Mental Drain: Teachers Sound the Alarm
It’s not just about test scores. Teachers say smartphones have become a wedge between students and learning.
There’s a constant threat of being filmed in class. Whispered TikToks replace whispered questions. Social media disputes spill into classrooms. One headteacher estimated that 90% of discipline issues were triggered by phone use.
These are serious claims. Yet they’re not isolated. A 2024 survey by the National Association of Head Teachers showed 72% of secondary school teachers had considered stricter phone rules, citing mounting classroom chaos.
One teacher put it bluntly: “Every ping, buzz, and notification costs us five minutes.”
Here’s what the typical complaints from educators look like:
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Pupils watching videos or messaging mid-lesson
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Filming staff without consent
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Fueling anxiety and bullying through group chats
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Ignoring instructions and breaking focus constantly
Even experienced teachers say they’ve never faced distractions like this. “It’s a daily fight for attention,” said a Leeds secondary school deputy.
The Mental Health Toll That’s Hard to Ignore
Phones aren’t just messing with focus—they’re chipping away at emotional well-being.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK has repeatedly warned that constant phone usage, especially social media, fuels anxiety, self-esteem issues, and sleep disruption among teens. When kids scroll into the night and then drag themselves to school exhausted, learning isn’t the only thing that suffers.
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In schools where bans have been tried, the emotional temperature changes. Teachers notice more conversations. Students rediscover the lost art of eye contact. Even playground behavior shifts.
A 2023 study by the University of Birmingham found that schools with phone bans saw a 25% improvement in reported student well-being over 12 months. Coincidence? Probably not.
Are Parents Finally on Board?
It used to be that phone bans made some parents nervous. Safety concerns, emergencies, the ability to stay in touch—these were the main pushbacks.
But that tide may be turning. A poll by Parentkind in March 2025 found that 67% of UK parents now support a full ban on smartphones during school hours.
This shift is being driven by lived experience. Parents are witnessing the same symptoms at home: irritability, disconnection, inability to focus. They’re seeing what phones do after hours—and imagining what happens during lessons.
Still, it’s not unanimous. Some parents argue kids need to learn to regulate tech, not just avoid it. Others want compromise, like lockers or time-limited access.
The government is listening. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said last month that “a national conversation is underway” about phones in schools. Sources in Whitehall hint that guidelines may be formalized later this year.
What the Numbers Say—and Don’t Say
Here’s where the story gets more complicated. Not every study agrees on the impact of bans. Some researchers argue the effect is modest, or depends on implementation. Others say screen time isn’t inherently harmful—it’s how it’s used.
Still, there’s one pattern that’s hard to deny: the schools that take a firm stance tend to report better classroom engagement.
Let’s look at how performance changed at schools that introduced smartphone bans, based on 2022–2024 Ofsted reports:
| School Name | Region | Phone Ban Start | Change in Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excelsior Academy | East London | Sept 2023 | Grade C to B |
| Bramhall High School | Greater Manchester | Jan 2024 | 12% rise in GCSE pass rates |
| Eden Girls’ School | Birmingham | March 2023 | Improved Ofsted rating from “Good” to “Outstanding” |
That’s more than a coincidence. But there’s still work to be done to determine long-term impacts, especially across different demographics and school types.
Could the UK Be Next to Ban Phones Nationwide?
France did it back in 2018. Italy followed. Australia started rolling it out state by state. Is the UK about to join the list?
The Department for Education hasn’t gone that far—yet. But Education Secretary Keegan’s recent tone has shifted. And with the general election looming, both Labour and Conservative MPs are weighing in.
A national ban wouldn’t be simple. Questions remain about enforcement, exceptions, and cost. But there’s a growing belief that patchwork rules aren’t cutting it anymore.
