At Wymondley JMI School, our priority is the safety and well-being of our pupils, which includes protecting them from the unique risks present in the digital world. As outlined in our Online Safety and Acceptable Use Policy, we are committed to ensuring that all members of our school community use digital technologies safely and responsibly as part of our broader safeguarding duties.

Our Vision for a Smartphone-Free Childhood

We believe that ownership of a smartphone is unnecessary for any primary-age pupil. Childhood is a precious time for physical play, real-world socialisation, and focused learning. To protect these vital years, we fully support the recommendation to delay smartphone ownership for all children until at least age 14.

Supporting Our Families

We recognise that the pressure for children to own smartphones often stems from a desire for safety or peer connection. However, we encourage families to consider 'non-smart' alternatives (such as phones without internet connectivity and Air Tags/trackers) if communication is required, as these provide the benefits of staying in touch without the addictive and harmful content of the internet.

We invite our parents and carers to explore the following resources to help navigate these challenges and foster healthy digital habits at home:

• Children’s Commissioner Guide: A guide for parents on managing children's digital lives — providing practical advice on starting conversations about digital safety.

• The Anxious Generation - UK Evidence: Latest UK statistics and research — an in-depth look at the data surrounding the mental health crisis and its links to technology.

• Smartphone Free Childhood: https://www.smartphonefreechildhood.org/ — an online community of committed parents seeking to change the norms around smartphone ownership and use for today's children.

Why Delaying Matters

Recent research, including findings detailed in The Anxious Generation, highlights a "Great Rewiring of Childhood" that began as social lives shifted from real-world play to phone-based environments. The evidence indicates a clear link between early smartphone use and significant harms:

• Mental Health Impact: Since 2010, the UK has seen a sharp increase in adolescent anxiety, depression, and self-harm, coinciding with the rapid adoption of smartphones and addictive social media algorithms.

• Developmental Disruptions: Heavy smartphone use is associated with sleep deprivation, social deprivation, and a fragmented attention span, which can hinder a child's ability to engage deeply with their education.

• UK-Specific Trends: In the UK, self-harm episodes among young teenagers began to rise dramatically after 2010, particularly among girls, mirroring a broader international trend linked to the rise of phone-based childhoods.

Together, we can ensure our children enjoy a childhood defined by play and exploration, free from the distractions of the digital world.

 

For slides from Dr Ben Hibberd's parent talk to parents in 2026, please follow the link HERE.