Dear parents and carers,
Dear Parents and Carers,
The Impact of screens and digital technology
There is a lot of reporting currently, including a recent government report, about the impact of screens, smartphones and social media on children of all ages. A recent article from the Thrive organisation provided some interesting food for thought and certainly matched some of the issues we are noticing. Below are some of the key points which I think are interesting for families and school to consider.
Technology is incredibly useful and we live in an increasingly connected world. It isn’t about rejecting technology as digital tools can bring lots of benefits in terms of connection, creativity and learning. However, as the article says, teachers and leaders are finding that: it is harder to hold children’s attention; children become anxious more quickly; and, conflict escalates more quickly. This is because,
“The way children learn to regulate emotions, relate to other people and make sense of the world is being shaped differently.”
Digital experiences bring predictability, instant feedback and constant prompts for attention, particularly when children are increasingly interacting with AI-driven tools which adapt and respond to inputs. This has the greatest impact on regulation and wellbeing.
The article goes on to say that the most important question is – what are screens replacing?
When time for play, daydreaming, unstructured interaction and real world problem solving reduces, children have fewer chances to practise emotional regulation and resilience. Play and real world interaction remain central to healthy emotional development. Through play, children learn to manage big feelings, repair relationships and build attention and resilience.
As a school, we place a huge emphasis on learning through play, particularly in Reception, where this has always been the case, but also increasingly in Year 1 and Year 2. We make sure that we build in time for play in Year 2, during learning time, each day which 5 years ago wasn’t always the case. The other thing we place a huge emphasis on is Oracy – speaking and listening skills, language and vocabulary development. Regular, ongoing interaction and conversation with our children is so important for their development.
As I said at the beginning, this isn’t about rejecting technology, but about considering its impact and what we can do to ensure we support our children’s all round physical, social and emotional development.
Have a great weekend.
Best wishes,
John Mortimer
Head of School
