Academy chain with 35,000 pupils to be first in England to go phone-free

Year 11 pupils (l-r) Eddie Sheppard, Arthur Hall and James Burns, who attend Tenbury High Ormiston academy, which has already banned mobiles. Photograph: Fabio De Paola/The Guardian

A national academy chain is to become the first in England to be phone-free, removing access to smartphones from its 35,000 pupils during the school day due to their “catastrophic” impact on children’s mental health and learning.

The Ormiston academies trust, which runs 44 state schools including 32 secondaries, has begun phasing out access to phones at all its schools across the country, with eight secondary schools adopting new policies this term and the rest to follow, after liaising with parents.