Culture

School that convinced hundreds of GCSE pupils to give up TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram reveal results

January, 18, 2025-04:54

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School that convinced hundreds of GCSE pupils to give up TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram reveal results:

A secondary school previously labeled as 'failing' has achieved remarkable academic success after implementing a ban on students' smartphones. Cumberland Community School, located in Newham, East London, gained attention in 2023 when staff encouraged half of their students to remove social media applications from their devices during the exam period.

For two months, platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram were eliminated, replaced by mandatory revision sessions. Some students even chose to relinquish their smartphones entirely to minimize distractions.

Following the success of this initiative last year, the school's progress score improved significantly, rising by a grade and a quarter, positioning it among the top improving schools in the UK. Currently, 62 percent of its GCSE students are achieving at least a Grade 5 in both English and mathematics, which is sixteen points higher than the national average.

Headteacher Ekhlas Rahman remarked that the social media ban was transformative, as it allowed students to concentrate fully on their exam preparations. He noted that the cohort from 2023 that adhered to the ban performed significantly better than their predicted outcomes. The school repeated the initiative this year, yielding similar positive results.

Significant recognition is due to our staff and students for their dedication and hard work that has contributed to this ongoing improvement. Concerns regarding the influence of smartphones on children's development have intensified since the school introduced its innovative program.

According to a report from the regulator Ofcom last year, 90 percent of 11-year-olds possess a smartphone, and nearly all children are engaging with online content. Despite most social media platforms setting a minimum age of 13, research indicates that approximately 60 percent of children aged eight to 12 have their own accounts.

Additionally, three out of five schoolchildren have reported receiving online communications that made them feel uneasy. In February, the outgoing Conservative government provided new guidance to schools, with then education secretary Gillian Keegan encouraging headteachers to prohibit smartphone usage on school premises, including during recess.

Eton College implemented a ban on all but basic 'brick' phones for its Year nine students during school hours in May of the previous year. This was soon followed by the announcement from Ormiston Academies Trust, which oversees over 35,000 students across the UK, that it would prohibit phones in classrooms due to the significant link between excessive smartphone use and deteriorating mental health among young people. Students involved in the trial were asked to surrender their phones during May and June.