Preparing for a Phone-Free Future at Charters

This week, students are attending assemblies focused on what life will look like at Charters when we officially become a phone-free school after the half-term break.

This morning Mr Fletcher spoke to Year 9 about the changes that are being implemented and the reasons behind them. He shared facts rather than hearsay, and highlighted the benefits of removing mobile phones from the school day. One statistic he shared was that the average teenager spends over seven hours a day on their phone — that’s the equivalent of 22 years across a lifetime. Imagine what could be achieved in that time instead of endless doom scrolling!

Currently, students are expected to keep phones switched off and stored in their bags. From 2nd June every student will be provided with a secure pouch to lock away their phone at the start of the day until the end-of-day bell.  Full details of the new procedure can be found here  and 885 out of 1120 parents contacted, have already responded, helping us ensure a smooth transition.

We are joining a growing number of schools nationwide in adopting this approach and the reported benefits that include improved focus, wellbeing and social interaction are incredibly encouraging.

As a school we want to provide our students the best possible environment to learn and thrive.  Research has shown that it takes 20 minutes for students to regain focus in class after a phone has pinged. By removing that constant distraction, we’re creating space for deeper learning, better conversations, and stronger peer relationships.

This new phone-free chapter will support academic success and enhance student wellbeing and we're excited for the positive changes to come.