Pilot study finds lockable pouches help reduce smartphone use in schools

A pilot study conducted by King's College London in Northern Ireland schools has found that lockable pouches to store smartphones during the school day reduced smartphone use significantly. The study, which ran during the 2025-26 academic year, involved eight secondary schools and aimed to assess the impact of the pouches on classroom behavior, academic engagement, participation in school life and well-being.

The pouches allowed pupils to place their phones at the start of the day and unlock them at the end. While teachers reported clear behavioral benefits, pupil well-being showed only minor improvements. The study used a mixed-methods design, tracking behaviors and attitudes before and after the intervention through surveys, questionnaires on homework, classroom disruption, participation in extracurricular activities, peer interaction, smartphone use, and measures of anxiety, depression, and addiction.

It also collected data on exclusions, detentions, CAMHS referrals, counselor visits, and parent visits.

The introduction of the pouches was associated with a reduction in smartphone use, providing promising evidence of educational, behavioral and social benefits. However, implementation mattered – smartphones had become integral to teaching and learning practices, and the pouches impacted learning. The researchers recommended that the Department of Education consider strengthening current guidance on smartphone restrictions, allowing schools to choose from an approved range of strategies, and addressing barriers to research participation.

A longer study could provide more robust data on educational attainment outcomes, attendance, exclusions, mental health, and impacts on disadvantaged and SEN pupils.