Wycombe High School plans to introduce a smartphone-free school policy for Years 7–11 from September 2026. The policy will ban smartphones from the school, allowing only basic, non-internet-enabled phones on site to protect students from social media and harmful online content.

While we, the undersigned parents and guardians, support the school’s objectives of protecting students’ mental well-being and reducing learning disruptions, this policy goes too far and risks causing more harm than good.

We are therefore calling on WHS to reconsider and work with parents to implement a safer, more proportionate solution.

A blanket ban on smartphones in school will not stop students from accessing social media or harmful content. Smartphones and other devices can still be used outside of school hours. The ban, therefore, fails to address one of its core objectives.

At the same time, it creates serious safeguarding concerns for parents.

Many WHS students travel long distances, often across county borders. They rely on smartphones for live bus tracking and journey planning in an area where public transport is frequently disrupted.

Smartphones are also an important safety tool. Students use them to avoid waiting in unsafe locations, stay in contact with parents, and manage changes to travel or after-school plans. Removing this access increases vulnerability, particularly for girls travelling alone.

In practical terms, many students also rely on smartphones for payments, for example, for contingency travel. Replacing them with paper tickets, cash or bank cards increases the risk of loss or theft.

There is also a financial impact, as parents would have to purchase a second “basic” phone and contract at a time of rising living costs.

To be clear:

We are not asking for unrestricted phone use in school. We fully support a phone-free school day. However, there are more balanced, proven alternatives that achieve the school's goals without compromising safety and practicality:

• Secure phone pouches (successfully deployed at many other schools), or similar solutions that prevent use during school hours 
• App or network-based restrictions on internet access while in school
• Collection of phones during the school day 

We urge Wycombe High School’s leadership team and governors to consider these points, and meet us to discuss a less disruptive solution.