The Government’s plan to discourage parents from giving their children phones in primary school is “brilliant”, a principal has said. 

Minister for Education Norma Foley is to send a memo to schools, advising them on how to introduce a voluntary phone ban - similar to one introduced by primary schools in Greystones, County Wicklow.

Speaking to Lunchtime Live, St Patrick's National School Principal Rachel Harper said she was “absolutely thrilled” the Government has adopted their idea.

“We got all the principals to sign the bottom of this letter,” she said.

“So, it was a collaborative approach in all of our schools and then I suppose the strength… is that all the children, they feel like it’s fair if everybody’s the same.

“Also for the parents, they feel that they’re supported.”

Ms Harper said schools in Greystones have “certainly seen the benefits” of the ban and hopes the children at her school will be more mature when they do get a phone.

“Hopefully, it’s the new norm for children… that they just expect that a smartphone is something that they get in secondary school,” she said.

“With this model, we’ll be able to roll out digital literacy lessons for children preparing them for when they get these phones.”

Distraction from schoolwork

Clonakilty principal Helen has also banned phones in her primary school and on the grounds they “absolutely” distract children from their education.

“They talk about having a phone in school all the time if they do,” she said.

“Then that creates a problem for the children who don’t have a phone and I… don’t think children at primary school age should have a phone at all.

“I have to commend Rachel on the work they’ve done up in Greystones - I think it’s brilliant.”

More seriously, Helen feels smartphones can facilitate bullying and often leave children feeling excluded.

“I do think it has a knock-on effect in the school - especially in terms of cyberbullying, exclusion and people who are being left out of WhatsApp groups,” she said.

“[Or] people who don’t have Snapchat, so they’re left out of all the banter that happens in school around the phones as well.”

According to CyberSafeKids, 95% of children aged between eight and 12 owned a smartphone.

Main image: Children play on a mobile phone. Picture by: Gregory Wrona / Alamy Stock Photo