St Joseph's RC High School in Horwich, Bolton, is asking parents and the wider community to help fund secure phone pouches after new rules came into force this week requiring schools in England to ban mobile phones throughout the school day. The school has launched a GoFundMe page to raise £1,300, with each pouch costing £5.
New statutory rules force phone-free schools
From this week, schools across England are legally obliged to ensure pupils do not have access to their mobile phones during the entire school day. The government guidance, now statutory, places a legal responsibility on headteachers to maintain a mobile phone-free environment, but no additional funding has been provided to schools to implement the systems.
Schools are adopting different approaches: some ask pupils to keep phones switched off, others collect them at the start of the day, and some use special pouches that lock the phone away in the child's bag until they unlock it at home time. The pouches are widely considered the most effective as they save time on collecting and distributing phones and allow each child to keep their phone on them while using devices placed around school to lock and unlock them.
St Joseph's GoFundMe initiative
Headteacher Tony McCabe explained the initiative: 'For all other students, phones should either be left at home or powered off and kept out of sight for the duration of the school day. Looking ahead to September, we will be moving to the use of secure phone pouches. While there is no government funding available to support schools in implementing a mobile‑free environment, we are committed to introducing a system that is fair, consistent, and positive for all students. To help fund this initiative, we have set up a GoFundMe page.'
He added: 'We understand that families may feel differently about this initiative. Some may have reservations, while others will welcome it as a positive step in supporting their child's wellbeing and focus during the school day. We completely respect these different perspectives. For those who are able and willing to support us, we would be incredibly grateful if you would consider contributing via our GoFundMe page, whether by covering the cost of your own child's pouch or, if you feel able, by kindly supporting additional pouches to help ensure that all students can benefit from a phone‑free learning environment.'
Students with verified medical needs, such as diabetes, will maintain access to their phones.
Mixed reactions from parents
The school's social media post about the pouches sparked criticism. One commenter said: 'Expecting children to carry the burden of ensuring compliance because the school has not yet implemented its chosen solution is not an acceptable approach. The duty to provide a compliant, enforceable system lies with the school.' Another parent said they would rather their child have the ability to contact them if needed.
However, others supported the ban. One person wrote: 'All they have to do is turn off their phone at the start of the school day and put them in their bags...how hard is that?'
Responding to the criticism, Mr McCabe told the Manchester Evening News: 'It is important to acknowledge that some of the views expressed appear to come from individuals outside of our immediate school community. Those familiar with our work will know that, over the past several years, we have led an ongoing campaign to educate children and families about the risks associated with unregulated mobile phone use. This work has been central to our commitment to safeguarding the wellbeing, development, and education of our pupils.'
He continued: 'This week marks a significant shift in national expectations. Newly introduced government guidance, now statutory, places a legal responsibility on Headteachers to ensure that schools maintain a mobile phone-free environment. While the guidance is clear in its intent, it does not prescribe a single method of implementation, beyond the expectation that devices should not be seen or heard during the school day. Importantly, no additional funding has been provided to schools to support the introduction of systems or infrastructure required to meet these expectations.'
Benefits of phone-free environment
Mr McCabe stressed that the move will help pupils by reducing distractions during lessons, ensuring fairness with everyone following the same expectations, and supporting wellbeing by 'encouraging students to be present, engage with each other, and take a break from continuous screen use'.
He said: 'In response, our GoFundMe initiative was launched as a proactive effort to seek community support. The aim is not only to meet statutory requirements but to go further, creating an environment where children are free from the distractions and potential harms of mobile technology for the hours that they are in school. We want to nurture young people who have time to think, to imagine, to develop creativity, to build meaningful social relationships, and to engage fully with the world around them.'
Other schools using pouches
Schools already using Yondr pouches include Stockport Grammar School and Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley, Wigan. The headteacher noted that the 'powerful advocacy' of Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered in 2023, helped raise awareness about the risks of mobile technology. Her work alongside Cheshire Police contributed to a recent tendering framework allowing schools to access the pouches at a cheaper rate.
Mr McCabe concluded: 'We remain steadfast in our commitment to acting in the best interests of our students. We will continue to engage with our community, listen to feedback, and work collaboratively to create a safe, supportive, and forward-thinking educational environment. Part of this will be to educate on the benefits of technology when used in moderation, but that we all have a collective responsibility to keep children safe from online activity or harmful addictive behaviours.'
