Pupils say they’re enjoying school more since they started locking away their phones at the start of the day.
Holy Family RC & CE College in Heywood introduced lockable pouches at the beginning of term in a bid to help them focus on lessons and build relationships at break times.
The 11 to 16-year-olds stash their mobiles away at the start of the day and the Phone Locker pockets are opened with a magnetic wand when lessons are over.
Teachers say the scheme has cut down on distractions at the 780-pupil school and eased the social pressure that comes with being constantly online.
Headteacher Karen Ames said: “The impact has been remarkable.
“We’ve created a calmer, more connected community where students are focused on their learning and building real friendships
“It has transformed the atmosphere around the school.”
Since the rollout, staff say children are more engaged in lessons and there have been fewer requests to leave lessons.
One Year 10 student said: “I don’t constantly feel the need to check my phone to see who messaged me, and I don’t check the time every few minutes either.
“Lessons go by quicker and I don’t bother with notifications anymore.”
Another revealed: “My screen time has gone down, my stress has reduced, and there’s less drama in school since no one can message about things during the day. They’ve even stopped people skipping lessons.”
Before the summer break, she had an average daily screen time of 12 and a half hours, but since the pouches were brought in it’s dropped to four and a half and teachers say her attendance has improved dramatically.
