No phone zone: Over half of parents call for schools to ban mobile phones – Uswitch research

Over half of parents (57%) now support banning mobile phones at school[1] — with the figure growing from 49% just two years ago[2], according to @UswitchUK, the comparison and switching service.

Three quarters of parents (74%) believe that banning the use of mobile phones in schools would stop their children from being distracted, while three in five (61%) say a ban would go a long way towards reducing bullying[3]. Parents of children in primary school are more likely to call for a ban, with 69% believing that schools should be a no phone zone, compared to 48% of parents with children in secondary education[1]. 

With a Government-enforced nationwide ban on mobile phones in schools potentially on the horizon, over seven million parents say their child’s school has already taken measures to implement a crackdown on mobile devices in the classroom[8]. 

Not all parents support the ban though, with the research showing that nearly four million parents (27%) believe a strict zero tolerance approach on mobile phones could be detrimental to their child’s education[5]. Meanwhile, three quarters of parents (76%) are worried that banning mobile phones at school would make it more difficult for their child to contact them in an emergency[5]. 

Additionally, the vast majority of parents (82%) believe that the decision to enforce a ban on devices should ultimately come from the headteacher[9].

In schools where a ban on mobile phones is already in force, one in six pupils (16%) have to surrender them to teachers at the beginning of the day, while nearly half (43%) are trusted to keep their phone switched off[10].

High school children across the UK continue to take expensive gadgets to school, with 84% of pupils carrying a smartphone[6], 19% bringing in a laptop to aid with online learning and 17% taking in a tablet[6].

Children in secondary education take an average of £327 worth of tech with them to school, while students aged 17-18 are carrying the most in their bag at £457[7]. 

Uswitch.com is offering advice to parents on how they can keep their children safe when taking their smartphone to school. 

Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, comments:

“In the digital age we live in, smartphones can be a useful gateway for our children to become more tech-savvy. Not only this, but they are now essential gadgets for keeping in touch with friends and family.

“It’s no surprise that so many pupils are taking phones and other pieces of tech to school with them. But with a nationwide ban in the offing, it is important that parents are aware of their school’s policy regarding phones. 

“With so many parents believing that a ban on mobile phones could be a good thing, it is clear that there are growing concerns about the harmful impacts tech could bring to children.

“Speaking to your child’s mobile network and setting up adequate parental controls on their phone can go a long way towards monitoring activity and many providers now switch on adult content filters by default when you take out a contract.”

Opinium surveyed a sample of 1,002 UK parents from the 20th to 24th August 2021. Results were weighted to reflect a nationally representative criteria of parents.

1. Respondents were asked ‘would you support your child’s school banning mobile phones?’, 57% of parents said ‘yes’. 69% of parents whose eldest child is in primary school support a ban, whereas 48% of parents whose eldest child is in secondary school believe in banning mobile phones in school.

2. Uswitch: Half of parents want schools to ban mobile phones as children take £2.3 billion worth of gadgets to class every day. 49% of parents supported a ban in 2019. 

3. Respondents were asked ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?’, 74% of parents agreed with the statement ‘banning mobile phones would stop children being distracted at school’ and 61% of parents agreed that ‘banning mobile phones at school would reduce the level of bullying that goes on’.

4. All respondents who support a mobile ban in schools were asked ‘What are your reasons for supporting a ban on mobile phones in schools?’, 236 parents said ‘there is pressure on children to have premium phones’, 236 out of the sample of 1,002 parents = 24%

5. Respondents were asked ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?’, 27% of parents said that ‘banning mobile phones at school would harm my child’s education’. 27% of 14,405,000 parents = 3,889,350. Meanwhile, 76% of parents said that ‘banning mobile phones at school would stop my child from being able to contact me in case of an emergency’.

6. Respondents were asked ‘which electronic devices do your child generally take to school?’, 84% of parents with high school age children said ‘smartphone’, while 19% said ‘laptop computer’ and 15% said ‘tablet (iPad or similar)’ 

7. Respondents were asked ‘on average, what do you think is the combined value of the gadgets your child takes to school every day in their school bag?’, for parents with children attending secondary school, the average total was £327. For parents with children aged 17-18, the average total was £457.

8. Respondents were asked ‘has your child’s school already got a mobile phone ban in place?’, 51% of parents had a net ‘yes’ response. There are 14,405,000 parents of dependent children in the UK. 51% of 14,405,000 = 7,346,550 parents who say that their child’s school has already implemented a mobile phone ban. 

9. Respondents were asked ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?’, 82% of parents said that ‘I think the headteacher should have the authority to decide if there is a mobile phone ban in a school’.

10. Respondents were asked ‘has your child’s school already got a mobile phone ban in place?’ of the parents who said that there was a mobile phone ban in place, 16% said ‘my child has to hand their phone to their teacher at the beginning of the day’, while 43% said ‘my child has to turn off their phone at the beginning of the day’.