With child mental health concerns at an all-time high, and only three weeks into the new school year, the debate around mobile phones in schools is heating up again. A school in Hertfordshire has recently been in the spotlight, as parents have signed a pledge to delay giving their children smartphones until the end of Year 9, when most will have turned 14. The school has extended this call to 25 local primary schools, asking parents to do the same.

Earlier this year, some parents at the school came together and made a collective decision to withhold smartphones from their children. Having worked in schools for over 12 years, I’ve witnessed the rise of mobile phone use up until the pandemic—and a sharp decline since. Now, most of the schools I work with have strict “no phones inside the school gates” policies. The impact of mobile phones on the mental health of young people is well-documented, and navigating this as a parent is no easy task.

A friend recently shared a story about her 8-year-old daughter receiving a message from a friend at 2:30 a.m. The phone is kept in the kitchen overnight (to much protest), and that’s when she saw it.

In schools, I’ve seen first hand the positive effects of limiting phone use—children develop stronger social skills and are better at engaging with one another. Without the constant buzz of alerts, they can focus on what’s in front of them.

But is this resistance to phones just delaying the inevitable tide of technological progress, or is it common sense for the sake of our kids’ well-being? The biggest hurdle is often peer pressure, which is why collective parent involvement is crucial. The hard part is ensuring parents don’t cave to that pressure, which, let’s face it, is easier said than done.

So, is stricter intervention the best solution, or is there another way?