Pupils at a Brentwood school will lock their phones away throughout the day when a ban comes into effect this summer.
St Martin’s School will introduce the policy on June 1, requiring students to use 'Phone Locker' pouches to store their devices until the end of the school day.
A consultation with parents was held in January, before the Government released its ruling that all schools should implement a policy prohibiting the use of phones.
Under the new system, students will lock their phones in the pouches before entering school grounds.
The pouches cannot be opened without a special magnet, which students will only access when leaving at the end of the day.
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Georgina Tatman, deputy headteacher at St Martin’s School, said: "We started this process before the government guidance came out, so we were ahead of the curve.
"We already had a policy in place to ban the use of mobile phones during the school day, but there was still that temptation for students to go to the toilet and check their messages and social media. That was obviously not something we could easily manage.
"We have concerns about students having regular access to social media and the impact that has on their mental health. Because of the growing research into the negative impact of social media and the addiction to mobile phones, we have had to take the next step."
The school has held reassurance sessions with students who may experience anxiety at the change, and those with medical conditions that require monitoring via an app—such as diabetes or heart conditions—will be able to unlock their phones when needed.
Mrs Tatman said: "We are really proud of how our school community has embraced this; our parents are all on board and really appreciative of us for taking this step.
"Just eight per cent are yet to purchase a Phone Locker, so they will simply have to leave their phones at home. The majority of our students are really quite excited about the change."
She believes the policy will have a positive effect on the school environment.
Mrs Tatman said: "We know it will have a positive impact and will take pressure off of our young people. This is going to be so powerful."
St Martin’s School reported that 92 per cent of students have already purchased the Phone Lockers. Students and parents will still be able to make contact with each other if necessary via the school’s landline phone.
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