Smart Phone Free School
Smartphone Free at KS1, 2 & 3
The Federation of Gardners Lane & Oakwood Primary Schools is working in partnership with other local primary and secondary schools, as well as our parent communities, to encourage the delayed use of smartphones. We are committed to 'Smartphone Free at KS1, 2 and 3' to help us achieve our goal.
Why Smartphone Free?
A series of conversations with parents and professionals over the last few years have led us to this point. Collectively, our community has seen an increase in the number of concerning behaviour and safeguarding incidents related to primary age children passively using technology and having access to smart devices and social media apps. Parents tell us that they'd like to hold off giving their child a smartphone but, because everybody is doing it, it really is difficult to say no.
Simultaneously, we have seen a growing increase in local, national and international research around the dangers of children engaging with smartphones too young. Some of the statistics are, frankly, quite frightening. As well as this, we feel it is time to address some of the false-information leading to parents feeling a need to get their child a smartphone.
On the 23rd September 2025, Bournside School hosted an event for parents, carers and education professionals to hear from guest speakers from PAPAYA, Smartphone Free Childhood and the University of the West of England. The messages were powerful - check out the slides and read through the statistics here.
September 2025 - A United Response
At the beginning of the 2025-26 academic year, 15 local primary schools came together to share a united letter promoting a play-based childhood over a technology-based childhood.
Over the course of the next year our schools will be adapting policy and sharing regular messages that will help us move towards a smart-phone free culture.
Resources
Navigating the online world with young children throws up a whole host of new conversations and challenges for parents. Let us be your partners on this journey. This page is here to provide you with a range of different resources and signposts to help you in your own learning about keeping your child safe online and having a partner by your side when saying no to your child about their repeated request for technology. We have to make our decisions as parents on what our children need; not just what they want. Being able to explain 'why' makes those conversations just a little bit easier...
PAPAYA - Parents Against Phone Addiction in Young Adolescents
The team at PAPAYA strive to help families thrive in the digital age. Their aim is to help parents and young people make informed choices about smartphones, social media and screens. Check out their website here and also search for their associated Facebook page.
Smartphone Free Childhood
As parents, there can be an overwhelming pressure to get your child the next digital device, simply because your child tells you all of their friends have it. No parent wants to be the only one saying no. Learn more about the Smartphone Free Childhood pact via the link here. You might be surprised to already discover how many of your child's classmates are already committed to a play-based-technology-reduced childhood.
Internet Matters
Their tagline is simple: 'because children deserve a safe digital world'. The wealth of resource on this website is simply fantastic. Start with a simple filter by age and then really dig in to find out different ways you should be supporting your child's age-relevant development in the world of technology.