Eton College students required to swap phones for Nokia handsets
22 July 2024
Eton College has become the latest to ban smartphones in a bid to improve mental health and behaviour. From September, students will be required to turn in their mobile phones in exchange for a Nokia handset.
Eton College Deputy Head Mike Grenier, who also oversees pastoral care, wrote a letter to the parents of new, affected pupils detailing the new policy under which children are required to leave their own mobile phone at home after transferring their SIM card into a school-issued, internet-free Nokia.
Currently, these rules only apply to first-year students aged 13-14.
Mike Grenier said, “When used responsibly and in moderation, [smartphones] can be a key part of life for the modern teenager and can create positive social networks and give access to news and views from around the world.
“However, despite these positives, there are also associated challenges and potential areas for concern, especially around socialisation, misuse and overuse and the impact on both mental and physical health.” The school said “age-appropriate controls remain in place for other year groups”.
Campaign groups such as Smartphone Free Childhood have raised the point that those from lower income families should also be able to effectively protect their children. Importantly, data shows that these are the families most negatively affected by smartphones, spending twice as much time each day on screens.
There are many risks associated with mobile phone usage in children, namely cyberbullying, access to dangerous content on the internet and decreased attention span.
Fake news, AI-generated content and highly-edited images posted by influencers also have a significant impact on mental health, particularly in teenagers.
UK Safer Internet Centre has helpful information for parents and carers about mobile phone safety. Find out more here: https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/parents-and-carers/phones.
Childline also provides useful information for young adults about how to use their mobile devices safely and how to seek support if something goes wrong: https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/mobile-phone-safety/.
Contact us for minibus leasing
We at Marshall Minibus are proud to serve schools, charities and care homes throughout the UK.
Our minibus leasing contracts are flexible, with tailored payment plans to suit your budget and you can choose from a range of vehicles from 8-seater and 9-seater minibuses all the way through to 17-seater minibuses.
To find out more, please contact us by calling 01480 220444 or emailing info@marshall-minibus.co.uk.
Back to Blog listings