Mobile Phones
Kineton High School supports the Smartphone Free Childhood.
Smartphones are disturbing our children's learning in school
As educators we are seeing the detrimental effects of their use on students' ability to focus in lessons and around the school site. We are evolving a new policy that recognises the benefits of many learning apps but also tries to keep our young people safe and healthy.
What has triggered the review of Mobile Phone policies across schools?
Kineton has a clear policy on mobile phones in that they are not seen or heard as soon as students are on site, and from September 2025 Kineton has placed a ban on smartphones for the new Y7s as a prohibited item, this will be rolled out year by year for each new intake of students.
Ban phones throughout the school day, Phillipson tells teachers - BBC News
What is the damaging impact of social media on children?
Since smartphones, the selfie camera and then social media apps such as Instagram and Tik Tok became common in 2010, teenage mental health issues have soared, and this is clearly felt in all secondary schools.
The main issues around students’ use of smartphones and social media are:
- Screen time: The number of hours students spend on their mobile phone indicates addiction, especially when considered with how many “pickups” they use too.
- Unhappiness: Increases in unhappiness correlates closely with the huge increase in the amount of time children are spending on screen and online (particularly social media apps).
- Sleep deprivation: Today’s children sleep less and have reduced attention spans.
- Online safety: Children can easily access material that could be emotionally harmful and which is not suitable for children.
- Self-Image: Children continually compare themselves to content online and this can be hazardous to their self-image.
Headlines
From September 2026 the Department for Education has stated that schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default.
Y7 and Y8: Smartphones and smart watches are prohibited items.
- Students are not allowed to bring smartphones or smart watches to Kineton School.
- Students are allowed to bring certain “dumb phones” into school which most importantly are non-internet enabled (but can facilitate GPS for tracking).
- If a Y7 or Y8 student is seen with a smartphone or smart watch on their belonging, it is to be confiscated as a prohibited item, and the parent will have to come to school to collect the item.
Y9-11: Smartphones and smart watches are never seen or heard during any part of the day in school. They are in bags or lockers at all times.
- Students are not allowed to have smartphones in their pocket or their blazer; they must be kept in bags or lockers at all times.
- This rule is applied from the moment students arrive on the school site, until they have left the school site through the gates or have embarked on the bus home.
- Smart watches are treated the same as smart phones and should be kept in bags throughout the day.
- If a smartphone is seen (in blazer, pocket, hand or desk for eg) or heard, it is confiscated and placed at student services until collection at the end of the school day.
- If a smartphone is seen or heard for the second time in one half term, it is confiscated and placed safely student services for 24 hours, and may be collected at the end of the following day. If it is a Friday, it would have to be collected by a parent at the end of the day, otherwise released on the Monday.
Y12/13: Are allowed to use their smartphones in the Sixth Form Study area, and in lessons where permission has been given, but nowhere else across the school site. Any failure to comply will result in confiscation.
The school will rigorously enforce this policy as outlined by the DFE and its own principles. Breaches of this policy will be escalated through the school’s behaviour policy.
*Separate rules apply for extracurricular activities after school and for enrichment trips.