Schools in England spend an enormous amount of staff time enforcing phone policies, which has been likened to a "huge drain" on resources. According to research by Birmingham University, published in the British Medical Journal, teachers and other school staff are spending an average of 102 hours per week – equivalent to 3.1 full-time staff members – policing pupils' smartphone use.
The study analyzed data from 20 schools across England, with 13 having restrictive policies that ban phones during the school day, while seven have more lenient "permissive" policies that allow phone use during breaks and lunchtimes. Schools with restrictive policies spend less time on enforcement, but still divert a significant amount of staff resources to managing phone-related issues.
The researchers warn that these efforts are taking away from other vital activities, such as pastoral support and extracurricular activities, which could have a more positive impact on pupils' wellbeing. The study's findings suggest that even with a statutory ban in place, staff will still need to deal with breaches, placing additional pressure on school resources.
The issue has sparked debate among education leaders and unions, with some calling for stricter regulations and others advocating for more flexible approaches. The NASUWT teaching union has urged the government to introduce a statutory requirement for schools to lock away pupils' mobile phones during the school day, while the Association of School and College Leaders has proposed funding support for secure phone storage.
The Department for Education has defended its guidance on phone-free policies, arguing that they help teachers focus on teaching without distractions. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to address the issue, particularly in light of growing concerns about pupils' smartphone use and its impact on learning and wellbeing.
The study analyzed data from 20 schools across England, with 13 having restrictive policies that ban phones during the school day, while seven have more lenient "permissive" policies that allow phone use during breaks and lunchtimes. Schools with restrictive policies spend less time on enforcement, but still divert a significant amount of staff resources to managing phone-related issues.
The researchers warn that these efforts are taking away from other vital activities, such as pastoral support and extracurricular activities, which could have a more positive impact on pupils' wellbeing. The study's findings suggest that even with a statutory ban in place, staff will still need to deal with breaches, placing additional pressure on school resources.
The issue has sparked debate among education leaders and unions, with some calling for stricter regulations and others advocating for more flexible approaches. The NASUWT teaching union has urged the government to introduce a statutory requirement for schools to lock away pupils' mobile phones during the school day, while the Association of School and College Leaders has proposed funding support for secure phone storage.
The Department for Education has defended its guidance on phone-free policies, arguing that they help teachers focus on teaching without distractions. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to address the issue, particularly in light of growing concerns about pupils' smartphone use and its impact on learning and wellbeing.
it's like, come on, we're just trying to learn here. but seriously, it's not healthy for kids to have all that screen time especially during the day when they should be focusing on their studies 
. i think schools should find a more balanced approach instead of being super strict about phones, maybe some phone-free zones or times during the day? that way everyone wins 
. I mean, come on, kids are gonna find ways to use their phones regardless of the rules, right? And what's the point of banning them anyway? It's not like it's gonna improve learning or anything 
. I'm sure there are tons of other things that could be done with those hours, like actually teaching stuff 
. Like, have you seen the state of some schools lately? They can barely afford to fix their buildings, let alone invest in teacher training or whatever 
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. Can't they just find a happy medium or something? Or better yet, can we just take away the temptation altogether and make phone-free zones in schools? That sounds like a pretty solid plan to me 
Plus, with smartphones becoming so essential to our lives, it's unrealistic to expect kids to just put them down for 8 hours a day.
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Like what even is the point of having teachers if they're not gonna use their time to teach or support students instead of babysitting phone habits? 
. I mean, think about it... 102 hours a week? That's like having an extra teacher or something 
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. Let's focus on supporting teachers and students, not wasting staff time on phone enforcement 
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I think schools need to find a better balance between letting pupils have some freedom and keeping them safe. A more flexible approach would be the way to go, imo