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Smartphones to be banned from Harrogate school site

Tuesday, 16 June 2026 11:40

Willow Tree Primary School on Wetherby Road.

A Harrogate primary school is set to ban smartphones and smart devices from its site from September.

Willow Tree Primary School, on Wetherby Road, has announced it will become a smartphone-free school from the start of the new academic year.

The move follows the government's announcement of a social media ban for under-16s, including restrictions on platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.

From September, no child will be permitted to bring a smartphone or smart device, including smartwatches, onto the school site.

In a letter to parents and carers, Headteacher Robert Mold outlined the school's plans and the reasons behind the decision.

He said:

"Everything we do at Willow Tree is rooted in our commitment to create a nurturing environment where every child can grow up happy, safe and thriving.

"Like many parents, we are concerned about the impact of smartphones and social media on children's wellbeing and attention

"By taking this decision, we are supporting parents who wish to delay getting their child a smartphone (by lessening the peer pressure to have one) and reducing the amount of time children spend on screens and online during their walk to/from school."

Children in Years 5 and 6 will still be allowed to bring a basic call-and-text mobile phone if needed for their journey to and from school.

The devices must have no internet access, apps or camera functionality and will be handed in at the school office each morning before being collected at the end of the school day.

Any internet-enabled device brought onto the school site will be confiscated and held securely until collected by a parent or carer.

He added:

"'Brick' phones (without internet access or cameras) will be allowed for children who walk themselves to/from school, and parents can buy tracking devices such as AirTags if they wish to have an updated location for their child."

The policy will come into force at Willow Tree Primary School from September 2026.

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