Brianna Ghey’s mother praises plan to fund locking away phones at school

Brianna Ghey’s mother has urged Cheshire schools to take advantage of new £150,000 funding to lock phones away during the day.

Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Dan Price announced on Friday he wants the county to be the first county where all state secondary schools have pouches to lock students’ mobile phones in.

The PCC is setting aside £150,000 in funds towards this, targeted at pupils in receipt of free school meals.

Esther Ghey, who launched a campaign to get phones out of schools this autumn after her daughter was murdered, said: “I urge every school in Cheshire to take advantage of this amazing initiative.

“Dan Price is absolutely leading the way, showing real commitment to improving young people’s wellbeing and safety.

“Lockable phone pouches are a simple step towards creating safer and more focused classrooms. I truly hope other Police and Crime Commissioners across the country follow his lead.”

The £150,000 will go towards funding pouches for pupils on free school meals – schools that want to join the initiative will need to find the cash to fund the difference for all their pupils themselves.

Brianna, who would have been celebrating her 19th birthday on November 7, died in 2023 when a fellow pupil lured her to a Warrington park where she was fatally stabbed 28 times by two 15-year-olds.

The school 16-year-old Brianna attended: Birchwood Community High School in Warrington, introduced pouches to lock phones in on arrival at school last year, which students then carry around with them.

Currently, nine mainstream high schools in Cheshire have similar systems in place, Cheshire PCC said.

The PCC added the schools who use this system have seen a positive impact on wellbeing and a reduction in online safeguarding incidents.

The PCC said schools that sign up will receive information materials for parents and pupils, and expertise and implementation advice from schools that have already rolled out pouches.

Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders’ union NAHT, welcomed the initiative.

“Many schools already have restrictions on phones, but it is really positive that this scheme recognises that financial support is often needed to help ensure these are truly effective,” she said.

The PCC hopes a county-wide approach will provide savings through pooling procurement. It has estimated the initiative will cost £8.75 per pupil.

Mr Price said: “From a crime prevention perspective, this is an absolute no-brainer.

“Less online bullying, less access to potentially harmful or violent content, less distractions, less exclusions. In Cheshire of all places, we know the impact this can have. That’s why we must make this happen here.”

Under the former Conservative government, schools were issued non-statutory guidance intended to stop the use of phones during the school day.

A survey by the Children’s Commissioner earlier this year found 90% of secondary schools and 99.8% of primary schools already have policies in place to stop the use of phones during the school day.

However, the survey found around 10% of secondary schools allowed pupils to use their phones at some point during the school day.

Ms Ghey launched a campaign in September for a statutory ban that would see pupils unable to access phones for the entire school day.

She told the PA news agency at the time a statutory ban “would have really helped Brianna”.