Inside a school where phones are banned | ITV News

ITV News spent two days filming inside Harris Academy in Rugby, as pressure grows on the government to take action on mobile phone use. While most schools have some restrictions on phones, Harris Academy is part of a growing group placing tougher limits on children’s access to the devices while they’re at school. They’ve used lockable pouches since May - enforced using random spot checks with a metal detector, akin to airport-style security. Assistant Head John Naylor says the school’s ban on phones has had a “huge impact” and “allowed students to get their childhood back". It’s not just the teachers who say the ban has been transformative - almost all of the students we spoke to said it had changed school life for the better. Despite mounting pressure from headteachers, unions, and many Labour MPs, the government has resisted calls to legislate and make phone bans like the one at Harris a legal requirement, instead issuing guidance that says schools should be “phone free.” And, after Australia brought in a total ban on social media for under-16-year-olds last month, the UK government has faced growing pressure to take similar action. ---- • Subscribe to ITV News on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2lOHmNj • Get breaking news and more stories at http://www.itv.com/news Follow ITV News on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@itvnews?lang=en Follow ITV News on Instagram:   / itvnews   Follow ITV News on Facebook:   / itvnews   Follow ITV News on X:   / itvnews