AIBU to ask your recommendations for a non smart phone? Year7

[holiday22]

My DD starts year 7 in September. The school rules state no smart devices at all.

Handbook states:
from September 2026 we will be a smart device free school.
This includes smartphones, smartwatches, earbuds, fitness trackers and any other internet-enabled or messaging-capable wearable device.

Basic "brick" phones (call and text only, no internet or apps) remain permitted.

i was thinking the Sayph Phone but can’t find many reviews. This is a phone from the smart free childhood website. It has no internet browser, no App Store, no social media.

But it does have messages. Don’t all phones? Even the most basic Nokia has messaging.

At the moment she doesn’t have a phone, but some of her friends have.

what are other people buying for year 7 to meet similar guidelines?

id like her to message me if she’s staying late at school , playing a sport after school or wants to go to a friends house etc.

id also like GPS tracking and music if she wants to listen to music. (I wish they’d bring back the basic iPod, but that’s a whole other thread!).

I'm pretty sure Mumsnet is flogging something on the site somewhere.

Basic Nokia will work. About £20 from Argos for one without a specific SIM - although you’ll need to replace your micro sim with a bigger one to fit the slot.

It does calls, text messages and has a couple of basic games like Snake.

No internet.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3034406

The Nokia doesn’t have gps tracking. She can message me, but would probably forget. I’d like to know if she’s gone to the park, I’ll know from her location.

Apple AirTag or Tile? Kept in the school bag it won’t be noticed by school.

I was just thinking the same. An AirTag in her bag would work well

We just got a basic flip phone. But it doesn’t have tracking (I positively don’t want tracking so this wasn’t an issue for me but may be for you). It has a radio for music. DD is so far delighted with it because of the radio and basic outward facing camera and because it can play Snake.

I got my son the Nokia 3210. It works fine. I have a spotfinders card in his bag as well and that’s how I know where he is.

I considered an air tag but you apparently can’t charge them and the battery only lasts a year.

I did try an older Nokia before but talk quality awful. The Nokia 3210 is great battery lasts forever as well. About £60-70 on Amazon with no sim.

Stick in an AirTag if you really need tracking.

The battery on an AirTag can be replaced. It’s a standard car remote battery.

There are a few children’s phones now - check out Pinwheel. It has apps on it like music /maps, but not open internet access

If I get a basic nokia now, can she keep the same phone number when she gets an upgraded phone at some point in the future?

Yes, the number is attached to the SIM/phone account.