SENEDD Members warned “something must be done” with smartphones causing disruption in classrooms and fuelling mental health problems among pupils.

Carolyn Thomas, who chairs the petitions committee, led a debate in the Senedd on May 14 amid a growing chorus of calls for restrictions on mobile phone use in schools.

The committee launched an inquiry in response to a 3,369-name petition submitted by Zena Blackwell, publishing a report with recommendations for the Welsh Government.

Ms Thomas told the Senedd her committee found no clear consensus, urging Welsh ministers to introduce national guidance rather than an outright ban.

Pointing out that 83% of children have a smartphone by Year 6, she said: “Classroom teachers… told us phones cause all sorts of problems in schools, we heard some quite shocking evidence on this.”

But she raised evidence from the children’s commissioner, NSPCC, Barnardo’s, and Parents Voices in Wales, which all expressed concerns about a ban.

The Labour politician, who represents North Wales, pointed to evidence from Diabetes UK that smartphones help children manage their condition throughout the schoolday.

Ms Thomas added that exemptions could be required for young carers and disabled or neurodivergent children who may similarly rely on their smartphones.

“We all struggle with the addictive nature of phones,” she said. “There’s the strong argument that children are that much more vulnerable and need greater protection.

“But they also need to learn how to safely function in a digital world. Legislators, and society in general, are still struggling to find the right answers.”

She said: “The evidence base is still quite limited but growing all the time. As a committee, we felt strongly that ‘something has to be done’ but actions need to be evidence-based.”

Calling for guidance to ensure a consistent approach across the country, she emphasised the importance of parental engagement and being mindful of teachers’ workloads.

South Wales East MS Natasha Asghar, the Conservatives’ shadow education secretary, similarly said: “We cannot continue with the… status quo – something needs to give.”

But Ms Asghar went further than the committee in supporting an outright ban on smartphones, save for exceptional circumstances such as medical needs.

She told the Senedd: “Mobile phones can indeed be a major distraction, taking our students’ focus away from learning, which is exactly what schools are for.”

Ms Asghar pointed to research showing pupils in schools with an effective ban achieved GCSE results up to two grades higher compared to children in schools with laxer policies.

Criticising plans to let Welsh schools set their own restrictions, she said: “The evidence shows that simply doesn’t work, with one in eight pupils saying schools never confiscate phones even when rules forbidding them are indeed ignored.”

With more and more countries “waking up to the damage phones are doing in our schools”, Ms Asghar called for a non-ambiguous approach to ensure consistency.

She said: “I believe a ban, which sees phones locked up at the start of each school day in lockers and retrieved at the end of the day, is the best approach. It’s the right thing for teachers, it’s the right thing for children and it’s the right thing for parents.”

Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow education secretary, suggested national guidance with local implementation by schools would be the best way ahead.

Mr Campbell said: “We have to strike the right balance… between not harming learners – and there is evidence, of course, that that’s happening – and, on the other hand, preparing them for the technical world we live in today.”

John Griffiths emphasised the importance of considering screen use at home as well as in school, with children from “alarmingly” young ages spending a lot of time on smartphones.

The Labour Senedd Member, who represents Newport East, expressed concerns about psychologists being drafted in to make mobile phone games as addictive as possible.

“I see evidence of that in my own family, as I’m sure just about everyone else does,” he said.

Rhys ab Owen, an independent member of the petitions committee, agreed phones can be more of a problem at home with children staying up late at night. “Very often that’s when the bullying happens, at home rather than at school,” he said.

Backing an outright ban, the Tories’ Gareth Davies raised restrictions introduced by France from 2018 with a “digital pause” seeing pupils hand over phones at the start of the day.

Lynne Neagle set out the Welsh Government’s formal response to the report, accepting three of the committee’s five recommendations in full and the other two in principle.

Wales’ education secretary said: “Like the committee, I recognise that an outright national ban does not allow the space for schools to manage the needs of their learners.

“Our approach has always been to give schools autonomy to make decisions on the use of mobile phones… however, I also recognise the need for additional support.”

Ms Neagle told the Senedd an expert group will examine mobile phone use, developing national guidance and exemptions alongside the wider school community.

THE WELSH Conservatives’ new education priorities have come under fire from a leading school leaders’ union, which described the plans as “tabloid headlines” disconnected from the real challenges facing Welsh schools.

Ahead of the party’s conference in Llangollen this week, the Conservatives outlined a series of pledges that include banning mobile phones in classrooms, reintroducing home economics, and allowing schools to convert to academy status – a system currently used in England but not in Wales.

Laura Doel, national secretary of NAHT Cymru, was critical of the proposals, saying: “The Welsh Conservatives’ priorities read more like tabloid headlines than carefully considered policies for improving children’s education. They are completely out of touch with reality.”

Doel argued that many of the proposals were unnecessary, pointing out that home economics remains part of the curriculum under different guises, and that most schools already have effective mobile phone policies. She also dismissed the call for academies, saying: “Changing the name above a school doesn’t change the quality of teaching or experience of the pupils in it.”

She added that the key concerns among school leaders remain unresolved: “Our members’ priorities are funding, the recruitment and retention of teachers, ALN reform, conditions of service for teachers and leaders, and support for small schools.”

However, some of the Conservative proposals may reflect broader concerns among parents and communities. Recent surveys have shown public unease about classroom discipline, digital distraction, and pupil safety – concerns the Conservatives appear keen to address with more uniform policy approaches.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Conservatives said their priorities were based on “what parents are telling us,” and insisted that schools needed “a clear framework for excellence, not excuses for underperformance.”

They added: “We want to empower schools, ensure pupils are learning practical life skills, and put an end to the distractions that undermine classroom discipline.”

The debate comes as Welsh schools continue to adapt to the new Curriculum for Wales, amid ongoing concerns about funding pressures, teacher workloads, and falling attainment in some core subjects. A recent Estyn report found that while many schools are innovating effectively, others face “significant challenges” in delivering consistent standards.

As the Welsh education debate heats up in the run-up to the next Senedd election, all parties are expected to face scrutiny over how they plan to address long-standing structural issues in the system.

A FORMAL backing has been given for more than £0.5m of urgent repairs to a Pembrokeshire seaside school, but concerns were raised an escalated need was only discovered by one of the governors through press reports.

Last month, a special individual Cabinet member meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council saw leader Cllr Jon Harvey award a £555,946.17 contract to Trident Engineering GBR Ltd to carry out urgent concrete repair and protection works at Ysgol Greenhill, Tenby.

A survey report by Trident identified 750 faults at the school following a survey in July 2024, with further inspections this February.

A total of 750 defects were recorded, including spalled concrete, cracks (horizontal and vertical) in concrete slabs, beams, columns and soffits, failed repairs, failed coatings, honeycombing to concrete, damage / cracks in panels, cracking to brickwork, with an increase in defective areas across the structure since the July survey.

“We have observed an alarming acceleration in corrosion-related degradation due to the saline environment, leading to further concrete fracture, spalling, and delamination,” the report said.

It added: “This deterioration poses a significant risk, as sizeable debris has been witnessed falling from the structure, endangering pedestrians and potentially damaging vehicles and surrounding infrastructure.

“Our recent revisit surveys indicate that the cracks are expanding monthly, and the overall degradation is expected to worsen as thermal movement increases in response to climatic changes.

“We recommend undertaking the necessary remedial works with immediate effect. If we delay initiating the works, we will incur additional surveillance costs, which could have been avoided. Moreover, it is of utmost importance to note that some columns have lost enough structural mass to bring their integrity into question.

“Trident cannot endorse the continued use of the structure unless emergency repairs are initiated promptly.”

Since the award of that contract, a report was brought to the May meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, where members were asked to note the decision at the special meeting.

Cllr Harvey, moving approval, said work was progressing well at the school.

Cllr Alistair Cameron, a school governor, asked if there was any danger of escalating costs, and was assured there were currently no concerns.

Fellow governor, Cllr Alec Cormack raised concerns about the communication of the recent urgent need for works, telling members he had only heard about the accelerated need following press reports.

Members were told the March Road element of the works was being prioritised, expected to be finished by September.

Members overwhelmingly agreed to note the reasons for the urgent decision taken by the Leader.