1 week Ago
Ballard School in New Milton introduced Yondr pouches in September 2022, making it a phone-free zone. Pupils who need to bring a phone to school must store it in the secure, lockable cases, which can only be opened with a special device at the end of the school day. Headmaster Andrew McCleave described the move as a "real game changer" for the school, with pupils spending more time outdoors, socialising and focusing on their studies without distractions.
Ballard School, which was recently named Co-Educational School of the Year 2024-2025 at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards, is now encouraging families to extend these benefits beyond the school day by supporting a smartphone-free childhood. The school is actively promoting the use of ‘dummy’ phones - devices with only basic calling and messaging capabilities - for children under 16. So far, 77 families have signed up to the Smartphone-Free Childhood Pact.
Andy Marshall, deputy head (pastoral) at Ballard School, said: "I first raised the idea of a ‘Ballard Parent Pact’ in our parent newsletter back in November and have been so encouraged by the response. "For children to develop emotionally, they need real-life experiences. "Smartphones act as ‘experience blockers,’ taking away hours of potential free playtime - ultimately having a negative effect on children’s emotional development.
" The impact of removing phones during school hours alone has already been overwhelmingly positive. Headmaster Andrew McCleave added: "Minibuses are noisier, children spend more time outside running around, they just get on better—and there’s no temptation to react to a buzzing phone in a blazer during a lesson." The school’s senior leadership team reports many benefits, widely acknowledged by pupils, staff and parents.
These include improved focus and learning among pupils, with Ballard achieving record GCSE results in recent years. Ballard School is now building on its successful no-phone use policy. By sharing information and highlighting the Ballard Parent Pact the hope is to inspire families within its own community and beyond it too.
.
