Starting September 2025, Barnet will implement policies in 103 primary and 23 secondary schools to limit smartphone usage, aiming to address rising social media use among children. Some schools will ban smartphones entirely while others will restrict their use, allowing only basic 'brick' phones for parental contact. Experts warn that social media negatively affects students’ mental health, attention spans, and academic attainment. With a significant percentage of young children accessing social media unsupervised, the initiative seeks to create healthier school environments and foster better educational outcomes.
'Schools are in a powerful position to change the norm, and a large group of Barnet schools are committed to making our schools smartphone-free.'
Social media use has risen among children in the last decade, and experts say it's drastically impacting their mental health as well as their attention span and attainment at school.
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