School phone bans do not improve grades or mental health, says new report

File photo dated 03/01/18 of social media apps displayed on a mobile phone screen. Britons reach for their mobile phone as soon as they wake up – with spikes in network traffic detected immediately after 6am, 7am and 8am, figures show. Millions of people pick up their phone on the hour – likely when most alarms are set for – and begin scrolling, Virgin Media O2 data suggests. Issue date: Thursday January 9, 2025. - (PA Wire)

Restricting phone use at school does not improve grades or mental well-being in young people, a landmark study has found.

The University of Birmingham study found students’ sleep, academic record, and exercise did not differ between schools with and without phone bans in place.