08 Mar Social media and messaging apps blocked on pupil phones during pioneering pilot
One of the largest multi-academy trusts in the country, GLF Schools, is launching a pioneering pilot programme using innovative mobile phone technology to support student wellbeing.
The trial of an app which restricts social media and messaging apps only during school hours will be carried out at four secondary schools with the potential benefits for staff and pupils closely monitored.
The schools are asking selected groups of students to install an app which is designed to help students maintain a healthier relationship with their phones by blocking access to distracting apps during school hours, including social media, games, cameras and video recording, and web browsers. Essential functions such as calls, SMS, maps, and calendars will remain accessible.
The pilot will begin after the February half-term and involve all students in Years 7-9, meaning around 2300 students are taking part.
The block on non-critical apps will only be operational during school hours and during term time.
The rise in smartphone usage has been linked to increased anxiety, reduced concentration, and disrupted sleep patterns. A recent study found that students with problematic smartphone use are twice as likely to have anxiety.
While there isn’t a specific issue with phone usage at any of the schools where the pilot will be monitored, the aims are to test the technology and foster healthier habits.
The expected benefits of the trial at the four schools are:
More focus in the classroom
A calmer school environment with fewer phone-related disruptions
Improved wellbeing and student mental health
A positive step towards moving forwards with technology, not backwards
All Key Stage 3 students who bring phones to school will be required to install the Blackout app. The school’s current policy of confiscating phones seen during school hours will remain in place, and will now include checks to ensure the app is installed.
One parent at Rosebery School commented: “Well done Rosebery and the GLF group of schools for trialling the Blackout technology. I am fully in support. From talking to family and friends, some of whom are teachers, following media coverage very closely on this subject a, it’s clear that secondary schools globally experience disruption to pupils learning from smartphones. I trust the school to know what is the best way to tackle this issue, you are on the frontline every day and are having to waste valuable learning time navigating all the issues that smartphones present.
Julian Drinkall, CEO, GLF Schools said: “Every parent and carer knows that smartphones are essential in everyday life as a means of keeping in touch with family and finding useful information. We are also now much more aware of the downsides; the distracting notifications and messages, dangerous content online and excessive screen time.
“We understand the policy of blanket mobile phone bans, but in an increasingly connected world this may be hard to sustain indefinitely. A technologically advanced system like Blackout allows us to explore a more nuanced policy and experiment with what works best for our pupils.
“As one of the country’s largest multi-academy trusts, we want to lead by example and test innovative technology to see if we can find a better balance for our pupils, staff and families. We will study the results of this pilot and decide whether we want to roll out the technology to other schools and we also intend to share our findings with other school leaders, councils and policymakers.”
Amy Anderson, Headteacher at Meridian High School, said: “Our pupils and families have been supportive of our existing policy on phone use in school hours, but we also see technology as providing potential solutions in the search for easy-to-use controls on phone use. We see this as an intelligent use of technology – to deal with technology – and this pilot will be closely monitored to see if we can enhance the benefits of phone-free time in school. We see installing an app as a more refined and effective solution to help students enjoy a better learning environment and we expect the monitoring to show multiple benefits for all pupils and the school.”
Tom Stevenson, Managing Director, Education at Blackout Technologies said: “We’re very excited about teaming up with GLF Schools to pilot our pioneering technology with a pioneering multi-academy trust. Parents value staying connected with their children throughout the day, especially for emergencies or coordinating after-school plans. Blackout offers a smart solution—restricting access to apps and social media while still allowing traditional calls and SMS messaging.
“Whilst other solutions champion locking the technology away, we believe moderating the use of technology during the hours of the school day helps students develop positive digital habits and recognise themselves the positive benefits of time spent shielded from social media and games.”
Enforcing a phone ban also comes with challenges. Confiscations can lead to conflict and drain valuable staff time. With Blackout, schools eliminate this burden by fostering cooperation rather than confrontation.”
