Smartphone-Free-Schools

A shared commitment: A smartphone-free primary school.

At Willow Tree, everything we do is rooted in our commitment to create a nurturing environment where every child can grow up happy, safe and thriving. Like many of you, we have increasing concerns about the impact of smartphones and social media on children's wellbeing and attention.

From September 2026, Willow Tree will become a smartphone-free school. No child will be permitted to bring a smartphone or smart device, including smartwatches, onto the school site.

What this means in practice

Children in year 5 and year 6 may bring a basic call-and-text phone if it is required for their journey to and from school. Basic phones must:

Contain no internet access, apps, or camera functionality
Be handed in at the school office each morning and collected at the end of the day.

A Nokia 105 phone meets these requirements and can be purchased for less than £25.

Smart devices, including any device capable of accessing the internet, taking photographs, or sending messages via apps, will be treated as prohibited items. Any such device brought onto the school site will be confiscated and held securely until collected by a parent or carer.

Medical needs

Some children at Willow Tree have medical needs that require the use of a smartphone, such as a continuous glucose monitor. Where this applies to your child, we will be in touch with you directly to put appropriate arrangements in place. No child's health or safety will be compromised.

Why we have made this change

Across the country, a growing number of families are choosing to delay giving their children smartphones, and a growing number of schools are supporting them to do so. At Willow Tree, we want to be part of that shift. We know from conversations with parents that many families share the same instinct that their child is not yet ready, but feel the decision is harder to make alone. A consistent school policy changes that: when no child brings a smartphone to school, no family has to navigate that pressure in isolation.

Safety and communication

We understand that many families value being able to reach their child, particularly as children grow more independent. A basic call-and-text phone is a practical solution for the journey to and from school, providing that peace of mind without the risks of an internet-enabled device. For families who would like location reassurance, small tracking devices such as AirTags offer a simple alternative.
If you need to contact your child during the school day, please call our school office and we will pass messages on promptly. If your child needs to reach you, they can always do so through a member of staff.

Working together to support our children

The most powerful changes happen when schools and families act together. Alongside our school policy, we would ask for your support in a few simple ways:

Consider delaying giving your child a smartphone for as long as possible. A growing number of families are choosing to wait until at least age 14, and this becomes easier the more families do it together. The Smartphone Free Childhood Parent Pact is a way to make that commitment collectively. You can find out more at https://www.smartphonefreechildhood.org
Where possible, please avoid using your own smartphone at the school gate. Children notice what the adults around them do, and small habits like this send a powerful message about how we all value being present.