At Norwich High School for Girls, our pastoral philosophy is centered on creating an environment where every student can flourish through the intentional use of technology. We believe that the school day should be a sanctuary for focused learning, deep thinking and, crucially, the development of strong interpersonal communication skills, free from the social distractions often found in the digital world.

While the Department for Education has recently published guidance advocating for the prohibition of mobile phones throughout the school day, Norwich High School for Girls has been “ahead of the game” in recognising and acting upon this need. Our approach is not merely about restriction, but about the protection and educational welfare of our community. By ensuring that personal devices remain private and invisible during the school day, we allow our students to engage more authentically with one another and their studies.

To support this vision, we have successfully implemented the Yondr pouch system for students in Years 7 to 10 (with the initiative extending to include Year 11 from September 2026).

Students use a personal Yondr Pouch to secure their phone and wearable tech (including smartwatches) at the start of each day.

• Devices remain safely “pouched” and in the student’s backpack from morning registration until the end of the school day.
• This ensures that the temptation of notifications and social media is removed entirely, fostering a “socially present” atmosphere.

Our move toward a phone-free environment was not a top-down mandate; it was created with the active support of our School Council in September 2025, ensuring student voices were heard in the process. Since full implementation in November 2025, we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, students and staff alike.

Parents have expressed relief at the clear boundaries, while staff have noted a significant increase in classroom engagement and social interaction during break times. Most importantly, many students have shared that they feel a “weight lifted” without the constant pressure of their digital presence during school hours.

“The atmosphere in the Wellbeing Lodge has been utterly transformed; there is a tangible sense of calm and happiness among the girls. It is wonderful to see them engaging in deep concentration for longer periods – jigsaws have made a huge comeback and the girls have taken great pride in caring for our two new tanks of fish and shrimp. Our spaces are now filled with lively, collaborative conversation, completely uninterrupted by the pull of a screen. We truly love the new energy in the Lodge!”

Sister Elizabeth Turner, School Nurse

“I fully support the Yondr initiative which has been implemented this school year at Norwich High. It ensures all students are treated equally by introducing a consistent programme that is easy for them to follow. They can retrieve their phones at the end of the day, and I am reassured that while my daughter is in school, she can focus on her lessons and truly enjoy spending time with her friends.”

Year 8 Parent

“It is so nice to see the girls interacting in our social spaces without technology in hand. As a sports teacher, the journey to fixtures and events has been transformed into interactive, buzzing and sometimes noisy environments, where laughter and song are often heard! Yet with Yondr technology, we still have the freedom to unlock devices on our return journey to assist with logistics, and phone use is seen as a privilege, and not the norm.”

Mrs Marie Hood, Head of Year and PE teacher

“The school is doing what is needed for learning and safeguarding.”

Year 9 Parent

We continue to review our policies annually to ensure they promote safe, respectful and responsible use of technology. While we allow our Sixth Form students to exercise professional judgment as role models, the core of our Senior School remains a space dedicated to face-to-face connection and academic excellence.