'Pupils are more present in lessons': Ballyclare Secondary School hail new initiative to explore phone-free learning
Ballyclare Secondary School has welcomed leaders from schools across the region to showcase the benefits they have experienced of a phone-free learning environment.
Since August 2025, pupils at Ballyclare Secondary School have been using Yondr pouches to keep their phones safely stored during the school day.
The lockable pouches stay in pupils' bags and are unlocked at the end of the day, giving them a simple, supervised way to stay phone-free in lessons and during breaks. Pupils can still access their phones on their way to and from school, which can be vital for many.
The school says the system has helped reduce distractions, improve focus, and encourage pupils to interact more with each other and their teachers.
Furthermore, it has been claimed that the introduction of the pouches has been embraced by staff, pupils, and parents and carers alike, with the school seeing noticeable improvements in behaviour, concentration, and social interaction.
On Tuesday morning (May 12), school leaders from across Northern Ireland saw the Yondr system in action, hearing from staff and pupils, and discussing how a phone-free approach can be implemented effectively.
Welcoming colleagues from across the county to see the approach in action firsthand, Wendy Shingleton, Acting Principal of Ballyclare Secondary School, said: "Going phone-free has had a profound impact on life at Ballyclare Secondary School.
"The change in atmosphere has been remarkable. Pupils are more present in lessons, more engaged with each other during breaks, and our staff have noticed a real shift in the quality of interaction in the classroom.
"We were delighted to open our doors to colleagues to show what a phone-free school looks like in practice.
“The conversation around phones in schools is growing, and we hope that today gives other leaders the confidence to take the same step."