With the news that mobile phones could be banned from all schools across the island from September under a new policy, we took to the streets to ask the public what they thought about the new measures.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) is developing the new policy which will mean mobile phones belonging to students will have to be locked away during school hours.

David Thommeny think it’s a great idea as children can be easily distracted in the classroom.

He said: ‘I do think it’s a good idea, phones are obviously very distracting and the kids need to concentrate when they’re at school.

‘They might need to have them for emergencies but not in the classroom.

‘We lasted hundreds of years without having them in schools so I personally think it’s a good idea.

‘I’m all for it, there were no issues without them when I was at school.’

Peter and Laura Kane, and son Sam Kane, are visiting the island from Swansea, Wales.

Peter believes that in primary schools pupils shouldn’t be allowed to bring mobile phones in, but is sceptical of banning them in secondary schools.

He said: ‘Sam had one with him in secondary school, and we had him connected to an email address rather than a phone number so we could iMessage him.

‘We preferred him having one to get in touch with him if we needed to pick him up early or something like that.

‘They can be distracting, they weren’t allowed on Snapchat or anything like that but I’m sure they do go on it.

‘You’ve got to trust your kid I suppose.’

And rather unsurprisingly, Sam added that mobile phones should be allowed in schools.

Laura added: ‘I’m definitely for banning them in primary, but they’re more responsible in secondary school’.

Mick Fee works in a school in Liverpool, and him and his wife Pauline believe they should be banned from all schools.

Mick said: ‘In the school I work for they have the signal lowered down so kids can’t get on as many websites.

‘The pocket calculator had just come in when I was at school, and that was distracting enough!

‘I think it would be a good idea to ban them, but you’ll have some people saying it’s against the children’s civil liberties.’

Pauline added: ‘It’s different for using them for learning, they’re not just for hiding under their desks.

‘If it’s used for education it’s fine, and if parents want to contact their children they should be in touch with the school.’

Ellen Greham, from Glen Vine, is against mobile phones being banned in schools across the island.

She said: ‘I think they should be [in schools] because they have Google Classroom and other educational apps they use.

‘Also my son forgets his PE kit all the time, he forgets his lanyard, and I’m a text away!

‘I just think that they brought in phones to the classroom, so why would they take them away now?

‘I do agree they can be distracting, but children should have boundaries and they know the boundaries.’