School smartphone bans seen as ‘punitive’ by young people, study says

School smartphone bans are “overly simplistic” and are not supported by young people who regard them as “punitive” rather than helpful, according to research by University College London. The UCL report was published on Tuesday, the day after a statutory ban on smartphones in schools in England came into force, making individual schools and trusts legally responsible for being phone-free throughout the day. The study warned that outright bans werelikely to be ineffective and may even have unintended negative consequences for young people. The UCL study questioned 732 secondary school students aged 11 to 18, as well as 27 teachers and 41 parents about their views on phone bans, using questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. There was widespread agreement about the potentially disruptive influence of smartphones in the classroom, but the research uncovered a sharp generational divide. While 87% of teachers and 88% of parents were in favour of a blanket ban, 75% of pupils disagreed with the policy. “Adults feel the bans will alleviate disruptions and simplify classroom management,” the report said, “whereas pupils experience smartphones as supporting communication, safety, emotional regulation and everyday organisation.” Students who participated in the research said banning smartphones restricted access to “essential” tools they relied on to navigate daily life and support their learning, such as bus timetables, weather forecasts and homework apps. …