Emma and Matt Willis refrain from making phone calls to students for 21 days in a Channel 4 show

Channel 4’s documentary series, Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones, will work with Year 8 pupils at Stanway School in Colchester.

Researchers at the University of York will observe behavioural changes in the students and the presentation team over the course of three weeks and will use reaction time and memory tests to determine what effects giving up mobile phones may have on the brain, including sleep and attention.

The Willises said: “Our lives these days revolve around our smartphones and the thought of being without them for three weeks is frankly daunting, but fascinating nonetheless.

“The statistics on children’s smartphone usage are more than worrying and therefore it seems time to address this issue.

“We are fascinated by the results of the experiment and hope that it can spark change and have a lasting and positive impact on everyone.”

The House of Commons Education Committee said children’s screen time increased by 52% between 2020 and 2022, and a quarter of them reportedly use their devices in addictive ways.

Presenter and broadcaster Dr. Rangan Chatterjee will join the presenter couple to meet experts, scientists, activists and politicians to “uncover the deep-rooted impacts of smartphone use.”

Dr Chatterjee said that the “increasing use of technology has insidiously and without proper thought” crept into all areas of our children’s lives, including their school life.

He added: “I think this is likely to have serious negative consequences for children and society as a whole. For me, this is one of the most pressing societal issues of our time.”

“And this experiment is critical to sparking a national conversation about what is actually appropriate and helpful for our children.”

Louisa Compton, Head of News and Current Affairs and Factual and Sport Specialist at Channel 4, said: “Deciding when to give your child a smartphone is something that every parent struggles with and this brave and timely research will completely reignite that debate and potentially lead to more parents waiting until their children have reached a higher level of maturity before giving them a smartphone.

“With so many children and teenagers increasingly glued to their screens, it is crucial that we understand the impact that digital noise, constant accessibility and peer pressure on social media platforms are having on young psyches.

“We hope this experiment will spark a broader debate about the role of technology in our children’s lives and potentially inspire new approaches to digital wellbeing in schools across the country.”

Channel 4 said the results of the two-part programme “could be the trigger for the Government to implement a nationwide ban on smartphones for children under 14 or 16, proposed by a select committee”.

MPs had called on the government to discuss raising the digital consent age from 13 to 16. They said it should consider a complete ban on smartphones for under-16s and a legal ban on mobile phones in schools.

The Ministry of Education has issued a non-binding guideline instructing school principals on how to ban the use of mobile phones not only during lessons but also during recess and lunchtime.

However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said in July that he did not support a “simple ban” on mobile phones for children under 16. Instead, we need to “take another look” at what content children access online.

The Australian government has promised to enforce a minimum age for accessing social media by law. This could be set at around 14 to 16 years.