SMARTSchoolsStudy

📵How do schools rationalise their phone policies? 📱What are the key rules for phone use? 🏫Do teachers and pupils understand, follow and support the rules? Find out more from our latest paper analysing school policies across 30 schools in the UK ⬇️ tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.10…

We found that increased phone and social media use were associated with worse outcomes, including worse wellbeing and mental health outcomes, less physical activity and poorer sleep, lower educational attainment and more disruptive classroom behaviour birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/scho…

Our researchers have found that banning phones in schools doesn’t improve students’ mental health and wellbeing. However, increased phone and social media use correlated with negative impacts. Addressing use both in and out of school is crucial. Read more: birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/scho…

Banning phones in schools is not linked to pupils getting higher grades or having better mental wellbeing, the first study of its kind suggests. Dr Victoria Goodyear told #BBCBreakfast classroom behaviour or how long they spend on their phones overall also seems to be no different for schools with phone bans bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Check out this fascinating research from @VGoodyear and the @SMART_SchStudy team!

Our study findings, published today, suggest that banning smartphones in schools is not enough to tackle the negative impacts of phone and social media use on adolescents’ wellbeing, and that a more holistic approach is needed. thelancet.com/journals/lanep…

“Rather than prohibiting and punishing young people, the pressure needs to be placed on the platforms themselves to ensure that these spaces are safe for young people,” Students say social media literacy key to safety, not age restrictions connectedlearning.news/student-social… #MediaLiteracy

Sad to say goodbye to Becky today from the @SMART_SchStudy team. We will miss you! @beckytward

Yesterday the Centre-UB team got together to film our student and fellows welcome video! Thank you to Darren from @UoB_HEFi for the support in filming! We are looking forward to sharing the video with you all later in the year!

⬇️ Latest paper from the @SMART_SchStudy @NIHRresearch reporting data on the design and implementation of school phone policies ⬇️

A key study from our team, involving partners and supervisors. We are continuing this work on adolescent phone use with a studentship starting Sept 2024 exploring phone use for pupils moving from primary to secondary school - more details here: ⬇️ birmingham.ac.uk/research/centr…

Partners & Researchers @Centre_ub are exploring the impact of smartphone & social media use on adolescent mental wellbeing, exploring the impact of school mobile phone policies. More details @SMART_SchStudy - birmingham.ac.uk/schools/sport-… #mentalhealthawarenessweek

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, this year the theme is movement. Everyone can get the mental health benefits of moving more, it’s all about finding what works for you. Find out more: mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw #MomentsForMovement #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

New study: what is the impact of banning phones in middle school? ▶️ better academic outcomes ▶️ less incidents of bullying ▶️ less mental health referrals deliverypdf.ssrn.com/delivery.php?I…

Exciting new PhD Studentship @centre_ub Study with us on the Starting School Study📱 See below for details⬇️

PhD Studentship @centre_ub: @VGoodyear @MirandaPallan @RandhawaAmie birmingham.ac.uk/research/centr…

"the evidence for banning mobile phones in schools is weak and inconclusive" #MarilynCampbell #ElizabethEdwards @QUT 4 studies "a slight improvement in academic achievement " esp. for disadvantaged students; 3 studies reported no benefit. blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digi… #MobileBan #P4DF

My students are distracted by their phones during class. You’d be shocked by who’s calling. slate.com/human-interest… via @slate

Glad to be involved in an important and timely paper on how we approached the safeguarding concerns raised during research with adolescents in a school setting.

@LES_UniBham @UBSportExR @IMH_UoB @centre_ub @UoB_IAHR

Given the high prevalence of adolescent mental disorders, research involving adolescents is likely to include participants experiencing mental ill-health, even if mental health is not the primary focus – see our guidance here: bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/2/e…