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Brianna Ghey’s mother has urged Cheshire schools to take advantage of new £150,000 funding designed to implement phone-locking pouches during the school day.
Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Dan Price announced on Friday his ambition for the county to be the first where all state secondary schools adopt this measure.
The PCC has allocated the funding, specifically targeting pupils eligible for free school meals.
Esther Ghey launched a campaign to get phones out of schools following the murder of her daughter Brianna in 2023.
The 16-year-old had an addiction to her smartphone before she died, which had been raised as a concern by her school.
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Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey (PA Archive)
Ms Ghey 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.
The school Brianna attended, Birchwood Community High School in Warrington, introduced pouches to lock phones in on arrival at school in 2024, which students then carry around with them.
Currently, nine mainstream high schools in Cheshire have similar systems in place, Cheshire PCC said.
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Brianna Ghey was murdered in early 2023 (PA Media)
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 per cent of secondary schools and 99.8 per cent of primary schools already have policies in place to stop the use of phones during the school day.
However, the survey found around 10 per cent 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 said at the time that a statutory ban “would have really helped Brianna”.
