Primary School Bans Phones After 9,000 WhatsApp Messages in One Night
A primary school in Bristol, UK, has banned smartphones after a startling incident revealed the overwhelming extent of children’s online activity.
The move came after a teacher at Blackhorse Primary School discovered a pupil’s phone had received 9,000 WhatsApp messages overnight in a Year Six group chat.
Until now, students were permitted to bring smartphones to school as long as they handed them in during lessons.
However, one student’s phone was mistakenly left in a teacher’s cupboard overnight. When it was returned the next day, the device showed a flood of message notifications—9,000 in just 15 hours.
The discovery alarmed staff and prompted executive headteacher Simon Botten to launch a consultation with parents over the role of smartphones in school life. Following those discussions, a complete ban on smartphones has now been implemented.
In a blog post, Mr. Botten expressed growing concerns about the broader implications of smartphone use among young pupils.
He highlighted issues such as cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and online predators, emphasizing that these risks have escalated significantly in recent years.
He reflected on the gradual but undeniable rise in digital dangers:
“At first, it was imperceptible—occasional arguments over texts or students seeing things they shouldn’t. But the problems have become more frequent and more serious over time.”
Mr. Botten also pointed to a trend of children being overly attached to screens, spending less time outdoors and becoming increasingly isolated while online.
“And then something much darker,” he wrote. “A rise in predatory strangers approaching children in their bedrooms while parents are downstairs watching TV. Near miss after near miss. But if you have enough near misses, eventually, there’s going to be a collision.”
The decision to ban smartphones was widely supported by parents, who shared the school’s concerns over safety, mental health, and the impact of unregulated digital communication on young minds.
Primary School Bans Phones After 9,000 WhatsApp Messages in One Night