Navigating the Digital Age: Supporting Healthy Tech Habits for Our Students

Written by Chris Ivey, Headmaster

Dear Somerset Community

I was fortunate to attend an award ceremony with our Year 7 students this week and one of our Year 12 Academic Captains, Jenna Lee, shared some advice with students around study habits. In particular, she used the expression, phone free homework. It was great to hear one of our Year 12s share in this way, and her emphasis on ensuring that we give ourselves complete phone-free time was so important, not just for study, but of course for many other reasons.

Children and mobile phones are a hot topic at the moment, particularly given the focus on ensuring access to many social media sites, which is put on hold until children and adolescents are old enough to manage the complexities of this space. I have often shared in public my concerns about this current experiment, which began over 15 years ago when we thought it would be OK to put a phone in the hands of our children. None of my own four children were allowed to have a phone until they were in Year 9. Yes, we were considered to be very strict, but even then, as soon as they had the phone, they entered a different world. Oxford University Press puts out a word (or phrase) of the year, and in 2024 the word was ‘Brain rot’. Many of us have felt it, and now it’s official. Brain rot is defined as the deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging. Also, something characterised as likely to lead to such deterioration. I believe the pendulum is swinging back toward the need to protect our children and their childhoods, enabling them to develop the skills and maturity needed to use a mobile phone appropriately.

One of the challenges for parents has been the immense pressure to purchase a phone for our children at an earlier and earlier age, and as a College, we want to actively support our parents’ desire to delay placing a phone in the hands of their children. I am the first to acknowledge how helpful a phone is if running late to collect our children or situations change during the day. However, this needs to become the focus on the need for a phone. As we know, the desire to join social media, to take and share images, can become all consuming. Experts are telling us and we can see that the mental health of our young people is being impacted by these devices as they begin to compare themselves and their lives to what they see being posted, that they are potentially exposed to images and concepts that harm their development and more simply, they lose the desire to just ‘be bored’, to disconnect, daydream, and notice everything around us, enjoying the simple pleasures of life, acknowledging that we live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

Schools have taken a strong stand across the country in this space and whilst this is easy for us to do during school hours, I acknowledge that devices are a source of friction and challenge at home, outside of school hours and so our role is to hopefully provide parents with some options and possible sources of advice. Independent School’s Queensland, ISQ, is offering one such opportunity. An online webinar entitled Screens, Social Media, and Our Kids is being offered to parents.

DATE: Thursday 13 March 2025
TIME: 7.00pm to 8.30pm
VENUE: Online - Register Below
COST: Free

In this parent webinar, tween/teen champion Michelle Mitchell and Clinical and School Psychologist Dr Matt O’Connor will discuss some practical strategies, tips and insights for helping your child foster a healthy relationship with technology and unpack some ways to help your family prepare for the upcoming social media ban.

As a College, it has been encouraging to see our senior students use their devices in accordance with our procedures. As we move to update our current policies and procedures in this area, we have turned our attention first to providing more direction to our students in Years 5 and 6. To ensure parents are aware of our expectations in the Junior years, the following now applies.

No access to phones/watches before school. Phones/watches are to be kept in lockers and classroom drawers.
Phones/watches are to only be accessed after 3:20pm. At this time, they are only to be used in the locker area (Year 6) or outside the Year 5 classrooms.
Phones/watches may also be used at the conclusion of their after-school activities.
If students need to contact home during the day, they need permission from their core teacher to call home at Junior Reception.

As always, managing these expectations requires a combined effort, and I want to thank our parent community in advance for their support of our mobile phone and watch policy.

From the Headmaster

Term One in Year 12: Reflections from our College Captains and Vice Captains

Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day

Shoes and Windows: The Role of the English Classroom in Fostering Empathy in Adolescents

School Funding Explained: What it means for Independent Schools

Finding Strength in Challenge | Year 9 Tackle Camp Cooby

The Spectacular Spettacolo Italian Show

A Heartfelt Thank You for Dot & the Kangaroo JR.

Pi Day 2025 | A Celebration of Numbers, Memory, and Fun!

Somerset Swimming Report – House and APS Swimming Carnivals

Lessons from the Storm - Resilience, Gratitude, and Community

Understanding NAPLAN | A Tool for Growth and Learning

Somerset Student Awarded 2025 Gold Coast City Council Junior Mayor

Embracing the Philosophy of Ubuntu in the Junior School for Personal Success and Self-Awareness

Sustainability at Somerset: A Greener Future in Action

Beyond the Classroom: Biology in Action

House Plays Festival 2025 - Two Nights of Theatrical Magic

Reflection on Year 7 Camp

Why the Humanities

Experiential Learning – Exploring the Outdoors, Embracing Sustainability

Reflections on the Year 12 Welcome Function | A Year of Connection and Belonging

Somerset triathletes shine at QLD School Sport Championships

Mini Farm for a Sustainable Somerset

Safer Internet Day: Together for a Better Internet

Somerset Rowing Wins Bronze at NSW State Championships 2025

GAI and Our Academic Values

From the Headmaster - Welcome and Celebrating the Personal Success of Class of 2024

First Day Moments and Global Play Day Kicks off 2025

Building Each Other Up: Our Journey in Year 8 into 2025

A Warm Welcome to our New Students and Families

Nature Preservation at its Best – Quoll HQ, Service Learning

Somerset Swim Club at State Swimming Championships

Somerset Rowers are State Champions

Spartan Football Tour 2024 to Japan

Somerset Tennis Success at Regional and States

Spartan Triathletes Shine at Australian Super Sprint Championship

Strength and Conditioning and Sporting Excellence at Somerset

Welcome to the Year of the Snake

Navigating the Digital Age: Supporting Healthy Tech Habits for Our Students

More Articles

Somerset Times

Subscribe to our newsletter