Been to an initial meeting at DDs new secondary school. They have a no smartphones on site blanket rule, but they do allow 'brick' phones for basic comms with home, and we're very happy about all of that, in fact will probably buy her a brick now because she's starting to go about independently to some places now and it would help.
The question is - I assume social media is pretty much a necessity for social life from secondary onwards, but I'd be interested in the experience of parents with kids at school with a smartphone ban. I'm wondering if in a school without (and this is a small school with a separate lower school, so they won't have much contact with kids 15+) there might be less of an inclination to rely on social media, so maybe we can hold off the smart device a bit longer, or will we risk closing down her social options if she doesn't have whatsapp etc when she starts secondary?
If we do get a device, maybe it will be a tablet rather than a phone as I know kids never actually phone one another now, and if she has the brick to call us that will do for that!