Hale School has announced that it will introduce a school policy that delays student ownership and use of smartphones in an effort to protect its younger students.
From 2025, the School’s expectation is that students in the Junior School and Year 7 should not own a smartphone or smartwatch and should not have access to social media. If a mobile phone is absolutely necessary, then a dumb phone may be used but must be kept out of reach during school hours. Hale will consider extending the policy to Year 8 the following year.
This is an extension of Hale School’s existing policy that discourages mobile devices from being brought on campus and requires them to be kept in a locker during the school day.
Given widespread concern related to the digital landscape and youth mental health, Hale School initiated a parent survey before confirming its position. Responses from parents of students in Years 6 to 11 indicated that 85% believed children were beginning to use social media too early and another 12% were unsure. 86% believed children should be 14 or over to access social media, 75% said 15 or over and 56% said 16 or over. Concerns were shared about their children’s ability to concentrate in the presence of smartphones and being exposed to narrow and potentially damaging content.
The survey confirmed that most students are given their own phone when entering high school, so Hale’s policy targets the incoming Year 7 group, plus younger students, to head off feelings of “FOMO” and subsequent parental pressure. The response from families so far has been overwhelmingly positive.
Hale School’s Headmaster, Dean Dell’Oro said this was a pragmatic approach to a wider issue affecting young people.
“In the 1980s, many schools turned a blind eye to cigarette smoking, and knowing what we do now, that is shocking,” he said. “I feel like we are reaching a similar point with smart devices and social media. I don’t want to be turning a blind eye to the elephant in the room today. We know about the potential harms and we know parents are concerned – so let’s do something about it.”
