E-ACT Crest Academy: Creating a Calmer, More Focused School Day with Phone Locker®

Location: Brent, London
School Type: Secondary Academy
Ofsted Rating: Good
Solution: Phone Locker® magnetic phone pouches

The Challenge

Like many secondary schools, E-ACT Crest Academy was seeing the growing impact of mobile phones on behaviour, focus and wellbeing during the school day. While behaviour was already rated as good by Ofsted and serious incidents such as bullying were rare, leaders recognised that phones were still contributing to distraction, lunchtime incidents and low-level disruption.

The school wanted a solution that would:

Reduce phone-related behaviour issues
Improve focus during lessons
Support pupil wellbeing
Avoid confrontation and phone confiscation
Be fair, consistent and easy for staff to enforce

The Solution

Following October half term, E-ACT Crest Academy introduced Phone Locker® magnetic phone pouches across the school.

Students keep their phones with them throughout the day, but the devices are securely locked inside the pouch and cannot be accessed until the end of the school day. Pouches are locked and unlocked using a simple magnetic system, removing the need for staff to handle devices.

The rollout was supported with clear communication to students, staff and parents, helping expectations to be understood from day one.

The Impact

Within a single half term, the school saw measurable improvements across behaviour and daily operations:

Phone confiscations reduced by 59% (from 88 to 36)
Lunchtime incidents reduced by 64%
Lesson removals reduced by 12%
Internal truancy reduced by 14%

The reduction in incidents created a noticeably calmer atmosphere across the school, particularly during unstructured times.

Staff & Student Response

Headteacher Andrea Rosewell highlighted the positive cultural shift following implementation:

“I’m very happy about the impact we’re seeing from our new approach to phones in school. Once our students get used to it, they’re thanking us for these new rules.

They feel freed from the pressure that comes with phones — there’s no way for pupils to be distracted, and children feel free from the fear of missing out.

The statistics really speak for themselves here, and at Crest we’re seeing more relaxed young people who can focus on their learning.”

Why Phone Locker® Worked

Consistency: Clear, school-wide expectations removed grey areas
Non-confrontational: No confiscation or arguments over phones
Student dignity: Pupils keep possession of their own devices
Simplicity: Easy for staff to manage without adding workload
Wellbeing-led: Reduced social pressure and distraction

Looking Ahead

E-ACT Crest Academy’s experience shows how schools can move from phone policy to practical implementation — supporting learning, behaviour and wellbeing without creating additional strain for staff.

Phone Locker® continues to work with schools and trusts across the UK to deliver calm, consistent phone-free environments that support both students and teachers.

For a quote to have lockable phone pouches in your school, contact our team.