Pupils in first borough to ban smartphones in schools are happier and better behaved say heads

By ELEANOR HARDING, EDUCATION EDITOR Published: 16:49, 27 July 2026 | Updated: 16:51, 27 July 2026 Head teachers in the first borough to ban smartphones in schools have said pupils are now happier and better behaved. Barnet in North London launched its smartphone-free schools scheme almost a year ago, leading to bans in 103 primaries and 23 secondaries. It comes after the Government's England-wide ban came into force last month, which means all phones need to be handed in at the start of the school day and kept in lockers or pouches. The move has caused outrage among some parents, who want their child to be able to call home if needed. However, schools in Barnet said banning phones meant fewer distractions in lessons, less cyberbullying and more face-to-face interaction between pupils. The Smartphone Free Childhood Barnet initiative, backed by the council and Smartphone Free Childhood, a campaign group, came into force last September. A letter was sent to parents of up to 63,000 pupils about the plan. Head teacher Michelle Henderson said her school, Bishop Douglass in East Finchley, had already banned pupils bringing phones to school before the ban came in. Head teachers in the first borough to ban smartphones in schools have said pupils are now happier and better behaved (pictured: Michelle Henderson, right, head of Bishop Douglass in East Finchley) She said: 'We do not believe that carrying a phone necessarily makes a child safer. 'A visible and valuable smartphone can make a young person more vulnerable to theft and in the event of a serious incident it is often unrealistic to imagine that a child would be able to take out a phone and use it safely.' She added pupils had been told to seek help from the police, transport staff and shop workers in an emergency situation. She said the benefits have included 'reducing distraction, online conflict, bullying, filming without consent, theft and the pressure on pupils to remain continually connected.' She also said pupils do better academically due to 'enhanced concentration' and the school's sixth form is joint first for progress among Barnet's non-selective schools. Meanwhile, nearby Clarion School has forced pupils to keep phones in lockable pouches during the school day since 2022. Head teacher Chris Hunt told The Times: 'The benefits to student wellbeing and the school social climate have been substantial. 'We have seen a noticeable increase in students socially interacting with one another, chatting at lunch and participating in extracurricular activities before, during and after school.' At high-performing Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School, also in Barnet, smartphones are banned but pupils can bring a basic 'brick phone' which does not have internet connectivity. Head teacher Violet Walker said: 'Following the ban, we found a significant drop in incidents of cyberbullying through social media.' A spokesman for Barnet Education and Learning Services, which is owned by the council, said: 'Schools are in a powerful position to change the norm, and a large group of Barnet schools are committed to making our schools smartphone-free.'