Parents are being advised to 'let go' and resist the temptation of providing their children with smartphones to monitor their every movement. David Smith, headmaster of The Fulham Boys School in west London, issued this stern guidance, highlighting what he describes as an 'obsession with the idea something could go wrong'.
Personal Experience and School Policy
The 37-year-old headmaster, who has not given devices to his own 12-year-old daughter or ten-year-old son, shared his perspective with The Sunday Times. He stated, 'My daughter started secondary school this year. She goes to school, and I presume she's at school. I think she's there because no one has told me she's not there.' Mr Smith emphasized that the risks of 'addiction' and 'reliance' could be 'fed through the device', concluding, 'I'd happily take the risk of her not having one. Part of parents showing their love is to let go - it needs to happen.'
Strict Rules at Fulham Boys School
Under Mr Smith's leadership, The Fulham Boys School enforces a policy allowing pupils to bring only a 'brick phone' - a device not connected to the Internet. Smartphones are strictly prohibited, and those found with one face confiscation for six weeks. For instance, one pupil had his device taken away in June and did not retrieve it until October, as the six-week ban excludes school holidays.
Parental Concerns and Reactions
When first introduced in September 2024, this unusual policy for UK secondary schools sparked anxiety among parents. Many feared losing the ability to monitor their children's movements via apps like Apple's FindMy or Google's Find Hub. Mr Smith acknowledged this, saying he knows parents love their children - 'we love them too' - but insisted that part of this love involves 'letting go'. He described a dramatic reaction from a pupil whose phone was confiscated, who 'sobbed and screamed for hours like they were coming off a class A drug'. Additionally, he recalled a parent worrying about not being able to 'see their son's face on the phone screen while he's on a school trip every single day'.
Broader Implications and Statistics
Mr Smith urged parents to consider when such caution should end, questioning, 'If I track my daughter consistently, do I continue when she goes to university? When she gets a boyfriend?' Currently, only five per cent of secondary schools in England have a brick phone policy, often introduced gradually and limited to younger year groups. Mr Smith is seen as a pioneer for implementing these rules at his west London school. He suggested that parents insistent on monitoring could use alternatives like Apple AirTag trackers instead.
Educational Outcomes and Independence
Fulham Boys, a Church of England school opened in 2014, is recognized as one of the country's top-performing institutions. Last year, it achieved a 91 per cent pass rate at GCSE, compared to the national average of 67 per cent. Mr Smith, who joined in 2018, claimed his pupils become more streetwise, learning to navigate roads, bus timetables, and late trains without internet assistance. This has particularly benefited students with special education needs, teaching them skills like asking for directions in shops and handling transport issues independently.
Policy Impact and Government Consultation
Mr Smith noted that only a minority of parents were very unhappy with the ban. In the first three months after the policy's introduction, 40 smartphones were confiscated. A year later, this number dropped to six over the same period. According to Ofcom, by age 11, nine in ten children have their own phones, though not necessarily smartphones. The government is currently consulting on children's social media use and potential phone bans in schools, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson advocating that phones should not be used during break or lunchtime.
