School smartphone restriction policies vary considerably across the UK, and headteachers and wellbeing leaders are looking to researchers to provide evidence behind restriction policies. This study is the first to provide baseline evidence on the effects of smartphone restriction policies on behaviour, disruptions and mental health in secondary schools.
Professor Ben Carter, Professor of Medical Statistics and Principal Investigator of the study
10 November 2025
King's College London launches phone-free trial in schools
Researchers have launched a pioneering study to investigate if keeping smartphones in a lockable pouch while at school impacts students’ behaviour and academic performance.
The Pouch study, led by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, will investigate the use of Odyssey smartphone pouches – lockable cases that allow students to keep their phones with them, but inaccessible during the school day. The researchers will assess whether limiting phone use in school can influence learning outcomes and wellbeing.
While concerns about the effects of smartphones on young people continue to grow, evidence remains inconclusive. Many parents, teachers and students themselves have expressed unease about excessive phone use, particularly during school hours.
Some schools have already implemented bans, but these policies can be controversial, especially among parents who want their children to have access to their phones.
This study will involve students aged 11 to 18+ across up to 20 secondary schools in the UK. Nine of these schools are invited in an evaluation funded by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland.
As reports of classroom disruptions due to smartphones increase daily, it may be more important to ask why they occur rather than simply how. By asking groups of teachers, parents and children about their opinions and experiences of smartphone use, our study will help us understand why children continue using smartphones during learning time – whether they are intentionally causing disruptions or unable to put their phone down.
Jessica John, Research Assistant and co-investigator on the study
Jessica John, Research Assistant and co-investigator on the study, added, "Teacher and parent perspectives can add further insight into both home and school-based smartphone issues, allowing for a comprehensive look at why and where disruptions occur and how we can work to solve this ever-increasing problem."
Each morning, students will place their phones into an Odyssey pouch, which will remain locked throughout the school day. Students retain possession of their phones, which are unlocked at the end of the day.
Researchers will assess students’ behaviour and academic performance at the beginning of the trial and again later in the school year. They will work with headteachers, teachers, parents, students and wellbeing leads to assess the impact of the pouches.
By investigating the use of smartphone pouches, our study could offer crucial insights into how limiting smartphone use in schools could help prevent young people from developing addictive behaviour toward their smartphones, since constant exposure to rewarding online content can increase vulnerability to digital addiction.
Dr Nicola Kalk, Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist and co-investigator on the study
Dr Nicola Kalk, Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist and co-investigator on the study added, “If successful, the study could lay the groundwork for new strategies aimed at fostering healthier relationships with smartphones both inside and outside the classroom.
"With the inclusion of schools across the UK and Northern Ireland, this research may offer valuable insights into effective smartphone use reduction strategies in a variety of communities, providing schools with a model that could be implemented on a wider scale."
"If we can better understand how structured limits can prevent transition to addictive behaviours, we may be able to design more effective, scalable approaches to reducing digital dependency and improving mental health outcomes across this age group.”
This is the first robust evaluation of smartphone restriction policies in UK schools.
Read more about the Pouch Study.
For more information, please contact Milly Remmington (School of Mental Health & Psychological Sciences Communications Manager).
In this story
Professor of Medical Statistics
Adjunct Senior Lecturer
Research Assistant