11 Jul 2025
New Year 7 students starting at Sandringham School in September 2026 will not be allowed to bring in smartphones under new rules announced this week.
The policy will extend to all future Year 7 cohorts in 2027 and 2028, so that by September 2028, no student in Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9) will be permitted to bring a smartphone to school.
The policy for Key Stage 4 students will be reviewed once this phased approach is fully in place, suggesting the ban may extend to other year groups.
Headteacher Alan Gray told parents: “In recent months, we have carefully considered a wide range of perspectives on this issue. These include the work of the Smartphone Free Childhood campaign, recent decisions made by local primary schools across St Albans, and guidance from leading organisations such as the World Health Organisation, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the NSPCC, the Children’s Commissioner for England, and Ofcom.
“Most importantly, we have listened to you, our parent and carer community, and our incoming families, whose feedback has been invaluable. We have also listened to the view of parents elsewhere in the country.
“While we recognise that opinions vary, the majority view is clear: schools have a role in supporting families to shift towards a new social norm, where children are introduced to smartphones at a later age. We share this vision and believe that, by working together, we can promote healthier habits and safeguard young people’s wellbeing.”
He added: “While we are not banning smartphones for current students, this is a valuable opportunity to begin embracing a positive cultural shift. Families of Key Stage 3 students, in particular, may wish to consider reducing their children’s use of smartphones, especially during routines such as walking to and from school, starting from September 2025. Taking these small steps can help support a healthier balance between technology use and everyday life.”
St Albans has been at the forefront of the campaign for tougher restrictions on access to apps and smartphones for young people, since the St Albans Primary Schools Consortium of local primary headteachers issued a joint letter calling on parents not to let their children have a smartphone before they are 14.
Last month hundreds of Harpenden parents also signed a petition calling for a blanket ban on smartphones for Year 7s in the town’s secondary schools after pupils attending the town’s primaries were told they will not be allowed to bring a smartphone into school from September.
It is thought other secondary schools in the district are also considering following Sandringham’s lead.
