From 29 June 2026, Highdown School will become a phone-free site to support student wellbeing and improve focus on learning. To help us implement this, we will be using a system called Yondr.
Research shows that high levels of mobile phone use can contribute to anxiety, disrupted sleep, and reduced face-to-face interaction. In school, phones can also distract from lessons and reduce engagement. Using Yondr, students will place their phones in secure pouches at the start of the day, where they will remain locked until the end of the school day.
Removing phones will help create a calmer, more focused environment where students can take part fully in lessons, think more deeply, and build stronger connections with their peers. This approach is designed to support both academic progress and overall wellbeing.
We also encourage parents and carers to have regular conversations with their children about phone use and online activity. The two linked documents may help you understand some of the language and emojis commonly used on social media. We are increasingly seeing issues linked to online interactions that can affect students’ wellbeing and learning.
By working together, we can support young people to use their devices safely and develop healthy habits. Taking a break from phones during the school day is an important part of this.
The charity A Smartphone Free Childhood offers useful guidance and resources for families. You can explore their support materials by clicking here.
Mr Reid’s presentation outlining the new procedures is available here: HERE
Yondr Maintenance
Further information about pouch maintenance can be found below.
FAQs
You will find answers to common questions about the Yondr pouches below.