Additional reporting by Maisy Walker

A secondary school that has started locking its students’ mobile phones away during the day says children are “talking” and “running around” again since its introduction.

In September, Trinity School in Sevenoaks introduced a smartphone ban, with pupils required to place their phones in magnetic pouches.

Assistant headteacher Martin Richardson said the school “thought long and hard” before implementing the ban – and consulted with parents, teachers, and students before it was put into place.

He explained: “Smartphones in this school were not prevalent. We weren't seeing them all the time, and students were certainly not scrolling on them mindlessly at break and lunch because they were not allowed to be out.

“But we were becoming aware that maybe they were using them when teachers weren't seeing them, and through student feedback now, we're aware that definitely did happen.

“So we wanted to give them six hours during the day where a phone just was not a distraction.

“Phones are so disruptive to your day. A notification pinging in your pocket continuously can stop the learning process.

“One of the most important things to do if you're going to implement something like this that's going to impact a whole community is to make sure you've got people on board, and we did that.

“We also spoke directly to students and asked them if they thought that there was a problem with mobile phones in this school.”

Mr Richardson says the pouch system is “really simple” and that they work similarly to security tags on clothing.

Students come into the school in the morning with their lockable pouches, place them on a mechanism that will open them, put their phone in, and then the pouch will be locked before they enter the building.

“Then at the end of the day, all the stations are unlocked by our site team, and students just come out, find an available post, it unclicks and away they go” he added.

“Now they're in a routine of locking them and unlocking them. They know exactly what to do, where to go, it's a really straightforward process.”

Students do not have their own iPads or laptops at the school; however, school computers are used for certain classes, and some SEN students have assigned laptops.

Mr Richardson said: “There are some subjects, like art, where they might need to use some visual references, but we have art laptops where they can create their portfolios or do some research that way.”

Students in sixth form are able to keep their phones on them at school but can only get them out in certain areas.

He says students have been “really positive” about the system so far, explaining: “They definitely were apprehensive about it at first.

“But now, if you look at our social areas at break and lunch, there's so much interaction with our students.

“They're really engaging with each other. They're talking, they're running around, they're smiling, they're laughing.

“They were doing that before, but now there's just much more of it. It's so noticeable.

“In terms of behaviour management, we've seen a massive decline in mobile phone usage in schools because they just don't have them. So far, so good. It's had a really positive impact.

“I'm the safeguarding lead here at the school, and we've seen a decline in the amount of disclosures to do with maybe online bullying or cyberbullying or group chats.

“We've got adults and professionals who can call home in an emergency if we need to. We've got a database of contacts at the end of our fingers.”

Student Lily, 15, says her daily screen time was around 10 hours before the ban, and that ever since it came into force, it has “definitely decreased”.

She says her school day has changed a lot at break times and that she is “spending a lot more time with [her] peers”.

She explained: “I think at first it was a lot of adjustment because everyone was absolutely furious.

“But now it's kind of quite unnoticeable, you just walk in, put your phone in your pouch, and at the end of the day you get it.

“I do spend a lot more time actually talking with my friends rather than being on my phone.

“It has definitely made my concentration a bit better in class. I think at first I was definitely against the ban, but now it's definitely something I’m leaning towards.”

Student Dante says his average daily screen time was “probably eight hours” before the ban came into place at the school, and is now closer to five.

He said the ban has “definitely” improved his concentration at school and that he feels more present with his friends.

The 15-year-old explained: “I'd say I've got more awareness of what my friends are actually doing.

“I'm looking at their face actually, I can recognise facial features a lot more, a little bit better than how I used to.

“I’m for [the ban]. I think it's just going to keep improving, each year it's about.”