The Educator Magazine U.K. May-August 2026 issue. - Magazine - Page 11
Many schools adopting phone-free policies
are already seeing cultural shifts as a result,
including renewed interest in lunchtime
sports, clubs, and face-to-face interaction.
But the conversation also touched on the
wider societal implications of smartphone use
among young people. Referencing research
from social psychologist Jonathan Haidt on
rising levels of teenage anxiety and suicide,
Sir Nick Gibb shared a stark comparison
from another head teacher, who described
smartphones as “like asbestos”. It was a
technology once seen as incredibly useful
before society understood its harmful longterm effects.
For Gibb, this is why government support
may ultimately be necessary. Stronger
legislation, he argued, could help head
teachers implement consistent phone-free
policies while protecting them from parental
pushback and ensuring equality across
schools.
As the session concluded, an audience
poll suggested that momentum is already
building, with many educators either
operating phone-free schools or actively
considering the shift.
Emma Mills left the audience with a simple but
powerful reflection on the philosophy behind
the movement:
“Children just need
to be children for as
long as possible. They
deserve to be immersed
in their education and
in their childhood.”
The debate around phones in schools is far
from over, but sessions like this show how
educators are beginning to rethink the role
technology plays in students’ daily lives. As
the conversation continues across the sector,
Bett will keep bringing together the voices
shaping the future of education.
