Phone Free School

From September 2025 The Sir Robert Woodard Academy will become a phone free school. On this page, we hope you’ll find answers to any remaining questions about why we made this change and how it’s going to benefit our students.

We’ve also included some helpful resources for parents to help explain and support this transition.

SRWA Phone Free School - Press Release

Phone Free FAQ document

Links to external resources:
For those keen to learn more about the rationale behind our decision and the dangers around smartphone technology, here are a range of links that might be worth exploring.

 BBC Interview with Headteacher Tony Plunkett and Co-founder of Smartphone-Free Childhood

Talk by Jonathan Haidt - National Education SummitWhat evidence is there that smartphone-free schools are beneficial?Dutch Schools Phone Ban Improves Learning​Children limiting own smartphone useChannel 4 Documentary Swiped: The School That Banned SmartphonesParenting in the Digital AgeAre smartphones really that bad for kids?Best first phones- smartphone alternatives for kidsThe Social Dilemma-Netflix drama exposing big tech's infludence on our mindsThe Anxious Generation- book by Jonathan Haidt