12 hours Ago By D R
An outright “ban” on smartphones in all schools in Wales is not a clear cut decision, politicians have warned. A new report released today by the Senedd Petitions Committee has instead called for stronger guidance to help schools manage their own policies. It comes after a petition of almost 3,370 signatures was received by the Welsh Parliament.
The petition called for an outright ban of smartphones in all schools in Wales (with exemptions for exceptional circumstances) in response to their impacts, including worsening mental health amongst young people. It also argued that countries including France, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and China, along with many UK and US schools, “have already implemented smartphone bans, leading to improved student focus and well-being.” During its inquiry the Committee spoke to teachers, parents and pupils and found a wide range of approaches already in place across Wales.
Some schools enforce strict restrictions, while others integrate smartphone use into lessons. A survey of Pembrokeshire schools that have restricted smartphones found that 96% of teachers saw improved student concentration, and 88% reported better overall wellbeing. But the Committee also heard how smartphones can support young people’s welfare and safety.
Barnardo’s Cymru/Wales warned that ‘bans’ on smartphones “could prevent children from seeking help from their parents/carers or other trusted adults should they experience online harms”. This was echoed by NSPCC Cymru, which said that children “must be supported to understand school as a safe space to share and disclose harm and abuse.” Both charities agreed that the emphasis should be on regulating phones to make them safer, with default settings and age assurance, and getting technology platforms to regulate the online space.
Concerns were also raised about students who rely on phones for additional learning support or medical needs, such as diabetes monitoring. In response to its findings, the Senedd Petitions Committee has now urged the Welsh Government to establish clear guidance, alongside a robust decision-making framework, which will give teachers the confidence to set rules that work best for their young people. The Committee also wants the Welsh Government to keep following the evidence of studies into the impact of smartphone restrictions during the school day.
“The growing body of evidence about the harms of smartphones outweighing the benefits for children is both compelling and concerning. However, on balance we do not believe that it supports a move to a uniform ‘ban’ on smartphones in all Welsh schools,” says Carolyn Thomas MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Petitions Committee. “The more evidence we heard, the clearer it became that the relationship between young people and their phones is not simple.
“There are children who experience distraction, cyber-bullying, addiction and anxiety delivered through their phones. “There are others who are liberated by being able to manage health conditions or feel emboldened to walk to school, knowing they can always contact a parent. “Every so often a petition comes in that grabs our attention and sometimes things that seem the simplest, are much, much more complex once you scratch the surface.
“We thank the petitioner for bringing forward this very timely issue, which gave us the opportunity to explore and present the recommendations to Welsh Government. “We hope the information will be useful for all schools in considering and setting their policies.” The evidence gathered by the Committee, along with its recommendations, will now be considered by Welsh Government for a response.
A debate will be arranged in the Senedd in due course. Today’s report can be viewed in full, here . Get notified about news from across North Wales.
