Teachers, health professionals and policymakers came together in Accrington on Friday to discuss the growing concerns around smartphone use in schools and the steps being taken locally and nationally to protect children from digital harm.
The event was led by James McBride, Headteacher of West End Primary School, Chair of the Church and Oswaldtwistle Cluster of Headteachers and part of the LET Education Trust, who proposed hosting the gathering to create space for open discussion and shared learning.
The Smartphone Free Childhood event, held at Accrington Stanley’s Wham Stadium, welcomed a wide range of education stakeholders to hear from leading voices at the heart of the debate, including MP Sarah Smith and Esther Ghey, founder and director of the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project.
Hosted in the club’s 1968 Lounge, the event focused on the risks associated with unrestricted smartphone access during the school day, from distraction and addiction to exposure to harmful and extreme online content, and explored practical solutions already being implemented in schools.
Esther Ghey’s work is rooted in lived experience. Her daughter Brianna Ghey was murdered in February 2023 after being lured to a park by two teenagers who had been consuming violent and extreme material online. One of Brianna’s killers had accessed torture videos and so-called “red room” content on the dark web, with part of the motive being to act out what they had seen.
In response to Brianna’s struggles with phone addiction and harmful online content, Esther launched the Phone Free Education campaign, calling for transformative change in how smartphones are managed in schools.
The campaign advocates for a statutory ban on smartphones during the school day, supported by secure storage solutions and government backing, so classrooms can once again become places of focus, connection and safety.
Esther spoke about the project, its growing national support and what it means for children, parents and schools, highlighting how the campaign has united parents, educators, experts and public figures in urging the government to act.
MP Sarah Smith spoke about the Government’s recent steps to strengthen guidance for schools on restricting smartphone use, as well as the launch of a consultation on whether social media should be banned entirely for under-16s.
Also speaking was Dr Sarah Wilks, an NHS GP in Liverpool and Health Inequalities Lead across a network of eight GP practices in Central and South Liverpool. Dr Wilks described the emerging evidence linking screen use to childhood mental health problems as compelling enough to shape both her professional practice and her decisions as a parent.
A mother of three girls, Dr Wilks is actively involved in the Smartphone Free Childhood movement at her children’s school and is a strong advocate for delaying smartphone use and access to social media.
At the event, she spoke about the importance of acting ahead of policy change and shared striking data showing that childhood outdoor accidents have fallen by 70 per cent over the past decade, while self-harm among UK teenagers has increased by 93 per cent.
She also highlighted that 94 per cent of children are exposed to pornography by the age of 14, and that pre-teens lose the equivalent of one night’s sleep per week to social media, with 73 per cent of teenagers taking their phone to bed.
The event also highlighted the role of community-led action in driving change, demonstrating how schools and families can take practical steps to protect children while wider policy decisions are developed.
Held in Accrington Stanley’s world-class 1968 Lounge, a venue regularly used for conferences and events, the gathering underscored the growing momentum behind the call for smartphone-free schools and a shared commitment to safeguarding children’s wellbeing.
Esther Ghey, Founder and Director of Brianna Ghey Legacy Project, said: “I have been here to speak about the Phone Free Education project and campaign, and why it’s so important to remove phones from the school day to allow children to focus and socialise face-to-face, and do better in education.”
Sarah Smith, MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden, said: “I really welcome the Government’s steps this week to increase the guidance for schools around how to stop the use of smartphones, as well as making sure that it is inspected by OFSTED, whilst opening a consultation on whether we should ban social media for under-16s.
“I am delighted that James McBride has brought together all of our schools from across Hyndburn to discuss this. I know parents will have some questions, and that is why the next step will be to have a conversation with all of you and young people, but the benefits are potentially huge.”
Sarah Wilks from Papaya said: “I have been speaking about the background medical evidence and research that supports why we need to make some changes with our smartphones and social media for children and young people.
“We are trying to empower people to think differently about what the norm is and how we can make some changes for children and for families as well.”
James McBride, Headteacher at West End Primary School and Chair of the Church and Oswaldtwistle Cluster of Headteachers, said: “At the moment we have a bit of a mixed policy with regards to smartphone use in primary schools, we have some children bringing them into school and some don’t.
“I feel that, given the amount of evidence that is out there at the moment in terms of the negative effect that smartphones can have on children’s development in emotional health and wellbeing, that we need to be encouraging parents to delay the purchasing of smartphones until they’re at least 13 or 14.
“Today’s event has shed light on some of the reasons behind that, and as a collective of schools, we can start to push that forward for our stakeholders and parents in schools.”
Robert Houseman, Supporter Liaison Officer at Accrington Stanley, said: “It has been a very interesting discussion and event. Coming down to Accrington Stanley on a matchday gives you a chance to get away from your mobile phones, enjoy time with your friends in the fresh air, watching professional football, and not having your smartphone in your hand.”
Learn more about the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project: www.briannaslegacy.org
Learn more about Papaya:www.papayatalks.com
Learn more about LET Education Trust: et-edu.org
