New Forest schools share smartphone policies as mental health fears spark Year 7 ban at Ringwood School

THREE New Forest secondary schools have shared their smartphone policies after Ringwood School announced Year 7 pupils will be banned from using them.

Concerns over the devices’ impact on youngsters’ mental health were a main driver behind the Parsonage Barn Lane faculty’s move to impose a non-smartphones only rule for the first year there.

Set to come into force from September, it comes as the Safer Phones Bill continues to be discussed in parliament.

Reflecting a growing national conversation around children’s smartphone use, the bill aims to promote safer and more regulated smartphone use among youngsters.

Policies among other local secondary schools range from pupils having to keep their phones switched off in their bags, to the use of high-tech signal-blocking pouches.

Ringwood School’s decision was prompted by recent research, notably highlighted in the Channel 4 documentary Swiped.

Despite many youngsters receiving smartphones when they reach secondary school age, the school believes early exposure can have detrimental effects on their mental health, sleep, and focus.

Research, including findings from Swiped, linked children’s smartphone use to a 50% surge in mental health issues over the last three years.

It showed many students access social media platforms before the age of 13, exposing them to harmful content.

A proven benefit of restricting their use was said to have been that reduced screen time helped improve sleep and academic performance.

Ringwood School hopes its new rule will foster a healthier environment for Year 7 students as they transition into secondary school.

Headteacher Leanne Symonds said: “We recognise the important role that technology, including smartphones, plays in today’s world, but our priority is the health and well-being of our students.

“By limiting smartphone use for Year 7s, we aim to create a healthier, more focused learning environment that supports their mental health and academic success.”

Ringwood School hopes to encourage wider discussions about how best to help children navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.

Since September 2022 New Milton’s Ballard School has employed the use of lockable Yondr pouches, which block off signals until the phones are released.

Deputy head pastoral Andy Marshall said: “At Ballard, we have a policy of no phone use during school hours which we strongly believe has a positive impact on our pupils' mental health and relationships, as well as their academic engagement.

“Pupils in upper prep and senior school who bring a phone to school – for example, because they travel in by bus or train – are required to switch it off and store it securely in a Yondr pouch, which remains locked until the end of the school day.”

The benefits had been observed by pupils, staff and parents, Mr Marshall added.

Calling the pouches’ use “a real game changer” headteacher Andrew McCleave said: “Minibuses are noisier, children spend more time outside running around; they just get on better and there's no temptation to react to a buzzing phone in a blazer during a lesson.”

Peter Main, headteacher of Priestlands School in Pennington, spoke of a need to balance educating pupils on safe and effective phone use with protecting them from potential harms.

Its policy was strengthened in September 2024 to ensure they didn’t need a phone to participate in education there.

“Phones are expected to be switched off and put in bags as students enter the school gates,” Mr Main explained.

“We recognise our responsibility to support the well-being of our students but also work with our parents as they have an important role to play.

“Smartphones are powerful devices and it is essential parents are monitoring and checking phones and managing screen time outside the window of the school day.”

New Milton’s Arnewood School operates a ‘see it, hear it, lose it’ policy to create a phone-free site.

Headteacher Jamie Anderson said: “Any phone that goes off is confiscated and can be collected at the end of the day.

“For repeat offences parents have to come in and pick the phone up.

“We are aware of the distractions that phones cause and we are fortunate to have a parental body that supports our approach.”