Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones
Season 1 Episode 1 of 2
Emma Willis and Matt Willis join forces with The Stanway School in Colchester as they challenge a group of Year 8 pupils, and themselves, to give up their smartphones completely for 21 days. As parents, Matt and Emma have become increasingly concerned about the impact smartphones are having on their kids and are keen to find out if excessive smartphone use is affecting children's mental and physical health. This experiment, conducted in conjunction with The University of York, will see the pupils undergo a series of tests with experts, meticulously monitoring their behavioural changes over the 21 days, repeating the tests at the end of the three weeks to assess what effects giving up phones really has on the brain - including sleep and attention. Will locking away the devices make the kids happier, healthier and more ready to learn? And will this experiment prove that smartphones should be banned until at least the age of 14?