What is Smartphone Free Childhood?

Smartphone Free Childhood is a national parent-led movement sparked by concerns about smartphone and social media use amongst children.

It aims to give families a genuine choice about the age at which they allow their child to have a smartphone. Through collective action - in the form of signing a voluntary pledge - parents can be reassured that their child will no longer be ‘the odd one out’ if they don’t have a smartphone.

Why does William Ransom support the movement?

In Spring 2024, a group of parents with children at William Ransom began discussing their concerns about smartphones with Mr Plunkett.

A survey was conducted shortly afterwards followed by a ‘street poll’ at the Summer Fete, both of which indicated an overwhelming level of support amongst the school community to change the status quo around smartphone use.

87% of parents/carers who responded to the survey expressed interest in a voluntary pact to delay smartphones until at least age 14 (64% supported the idea and a further 23% wanted to know more.)

Within two weeks of the pledge launching in September 2024, nearly half the school community had signed up. The latest information about the number of pledges signed per year group can be found here.

Smartphone Free Childhood activities at the school have captured the interest of both regional and national media. In this BBC Breakfast clip you can hear from parents, children and Mr Plunkett.

As well as co-ordinating efforts in this school, the William Ransom community is now working with other schools across Hitchin to help change the norm around child smartphone use across the whole town.

Are smartphones really so bad?

The body of evidence linking smartphone (and social media) use amongst children with poorer mental health grows by the day. This short video summarises many of the concerns:

How can parents contact and keep track of children when they’re out on their own if they don’t have a smartphone?

There are various ways to do this other than using smartphones. The Delay Smartphones website talks about some of the alternatives including smartwatches and simple phones.

What will happen once children reach secondary school /will most of their friends have smartphones?

This is why signing the pledge is so important!

Through the many conversations that have happened at William Ransom it is very clear that many parents would prefer to delay the age at which their child gets a smartphone. 

By signing the pledge, parents are helping each other to know that their child will not be the only one without a smartphone.

You can click here to sign the pledge - it only takes a minute!

In response to concerns raised by parents, William Ransom is already collaborating with other Hitchin schools (primary and secondary) to ensure parents across the whole town - not just at William Ransom - know they are not alone if they choose to commit to waiting until their children are a bit older before they get a smartphone. 

My child already has a smartphone / is getting one soon.

Every family will do what they believe is the right thing for their child. The pledge is intended to help those that would prefer to wait to realise they are not alone in their decision - there is no expectation that every parent will feel this way. It is about giving parents a choice about whether to get their child a smartphone or whether to wait, rather than trying to remove that choice from those that do want to get their child a smartphone at an earlier age. 

For parents of children that use the internet on any device, the Internet Matters website is a good source of tips and advice about keeping as safe as is possible.