At Kingshill Infant School, our priority is always the safety, wellbeing and focus of the children in our care. With this in mind, we want to clarify our position on mobile phones and share some guidance around internet-enabled devices.

As an infant school, children do not require a mobile phone to walk to and from school, and we therefore do not allow children to bring mobile phones to school. If a child ever needs to contact home during the day, this will always be arranged via the school office. Likewise, if you need to get in touch with your child urgently, please contact the office.

While our pupils are very young, we recognise that many children still have access to, or exposure to, mobile phones and internet-enabled devices at home or through family members. For this reason, it is important that we work together to support children in developing healthy, safe and age-appropriate relationships with technology from an early age.

Mobile Phones in School

Children should not bring mobile phones to Kingshill Infant School. Please note that:

• Kingshill Infant School cannot accept responsibility for any mobile phone that is brought into school.

• If a child is found with a mobile phone in school, it will be taken to the office and parents/carers will be contacted to collect it.

• Taking photographs or videos in school using a mobile phone is considered a serious incident and will be dealt with by the Headteacher. In some cases, this may become a safeguarding or legal matter.

Supporting a Smartphone-Free Childhood

Many families will be aware of the Smartphone-Free Childhood campaign, which highlights growing concerns around children’s early access to internet-enabled devices. As a school, we share these concerns, particularly in relation to:

• Early exposure to inappropriate content

• Increased screen time and the risk of dependency

• Unsafe or unkind online behaviour

• Reduced attention, focus and emotional regulation

We strongly believe that delaying access to smartphones and online platforms during early childhood is in children’s best interests.

We kindly ask parents and carers to support us by:

• Having regular, age-appropriate conversations with children about online safety

• Limiting and supervising screen time at home

• Avoiding smartwatches or internet-enabled devices in school

• Delaying access to smartphones, social media and online gaming platforms until children are significantly older

If your child does not yet have access to a smartphone, you are not alone. Many families are choosing to delay, and often find this helps to reduce pressure and avoid difficulties later on. Giving children time to develop emotional maturity before accessing platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok or Instagram supports their long-term wellbeing.

Finally, we recognise that schools and families cannot tackle this issue alone. By working together, we can help children build the knowledge, confidence and resilience they will need to navigate the digital world safely as they grow.

Please read the agreed joint statement below for more information: