Date Posted: 14/10/2024Current News
Category / School News Posted on: 25/09/2024
We are a smartphone free school
At Kingshott, we have always maintained a strong stance on being a smartphone-free school, prioritising the wellbeing of our children. It has been a long-standing policy at Kingshott that pupils are not allowed phones on school trips or daily in school; any brought on site are given to the school office for safe keeping.
A recent initiative in Hitchin, where parents pledge to delay giving their children smartphones until the end of Year 9, strongly supports our views. The digital age presents unique challenges for childhood development. Smartphones often expose young people to social pressures and potential harms such as anxiety, cyberbullying, and addiction. While the internet offers many opportunities, it is important that we educate our pupils on both the benefits and risks of technology. By fostering open conversations, we help them approach technology responsibly and with balance.
Our commitment to remaining smartphone-free is built on the belief that children need real-world experiences—engaging in outdoor play, face-to-face communication, and self-discovery, free from the distractions of screens. It is a delight to see our older students playing traditional games with their peers and younger pupils during break and lunch, serving as excellent role models for others.
We strongly believe that pupils should use and explore technology with confidence - in school they regularly use devices in class, and enjoy IT lessons. We will continue to guide pupils with sensible, age-appropriate discussions about their use of technology out of school too so that they can make informed choices and use these tools to their advantage in our age of adaptive learning and digital connection.
David Weston,
Head
