Bloomfield Collegiate: School cuts phone use 'to get pupils talking'

The school is concerned that the use of mobile phones during lockdown has affected its pupils' ability to socilise

A Belfast grammar school is to restrict pupils' use of mobile phones for the rest of term in order "to get them talking again".

Bloomfield Collegiate School acted over concerns about pupils' mental health and their ability to socialise.

In a letter to parents on the school website, principal Gary Greer said those concerns stemmed from "too much screen time during lockdown".

The east Belfast girls' school has about 700 pupils.

Many pupils in Northern Ireland have had two periods of remote learning - from March to June 2020 and January to Easter 2021.

During that period the majority of pupils were taught online as school buildings were closed to all but a few pupils.

'Silence on school buses'

In his letter to parents, Mr Greer said restrictions on when pupils could use mobile phones would be in place until the end of term.

"This includes use on site before school, in registration and in classroom activities," he said.

"Phones may be used, under supervision, in some circumstances, eg when activities have been cancelled or from the first aid room, but only when supervised."

Pupils who need to contact their parents during the school day can also get in touch with them at the school reception, he added.

Mr Greer outlined the reasons for the phone restrictions.

"Firstly, we have real concerns about mental health and the lack of ability to socialise due to too much screen time during lockdown," he said.

"It has been reported to me that there is absolute silence for 30 minutes on school buses as all girls are using mobile phones.

Prof Siobhan O'Neill has said some things that made life meaningful had been taken from children due to lockdowns

"That is replicated in many form rooms before the start of registration.

"I never thought that I would say it but we need to get the girls talking again.

"Every issue brought to our attention since the return to school has involved social media and the use of phones in school," added Mr Greer.

He said he hoped he could depend on parents' support for the new measures.

'Deprived of social contact'

A number of research studies have been carried out on the effect of coronavirus restrictions on aspects of children's lives and development.

Research from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) suggested that measures taken to combat the pandemic had deprived the youngest children of social contact and experiences essential for increasing vocabulary.

A number of experts have warned of the "devastating effect" of some restrictions introduced during the coronavirus pandemic on children.

Northern Ireland's interim mental health champion Professor Siobhan O'Neill has also previously said that some things that "made life meaningful" had been taken from children and young people due to lockdowns and the pandemic.

About 450 schools across Northern Ireland are to hold summer schemes for some pupils in 2021, partly to allow them to play and socialise with friends.