The chief inspector of Ofsted, Sir Martyn Oliver, has expressed support for an Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16 in the United Kingdom, citing its impact on behaviour and learning in schools. His comments come as the education watchdog published its annual report on Tuesday, highlighting rising concerns over school discipline and absenteeism.
Sir Martyn Oliver told Times UK that social media is “chipping away” at children’s attention spans, “eroding the necessary patience for learning” and fostering “disrespectful attitudes and behaviour.” He suggested that banning social media could help mitigate these effects, noting that most platforms already set age limits that are frequently ignored by children.
The Ofsted report also revealed that the number of children missing from education increased by nearly a fifth last year, describing the trend as “a scandal.” In autumn 2024, local authorities reported 39,200 children missing from school, up from an estimated 33,000 the previous year. Sir Martyn Oliver called the rise “endemic,” particularly highlighting severe absence—defined as missing half or more of schooling—which now affects 2.26 per cent of pupils, or around 166,000 children.
According to Department for Education figures, permanent exclusions reached a record high of 10,885 in the 2023-24 academic year, rising from 9,376 the year before, while suspensions increased by nearly 21 per cent, from 786,961 to 954,952. The report attributes much of this to persistent disruptive behaviour, with four out of ten permanent exclusions and half of all suspensions resulting from repeated classroom disruption.
Sir Martyn Oliver also reiterated his support for banning smartphones in classrooms, arguing that schools should provide a “sanctuary” from mobile devices. However, he stressed that head teachers should make decisions appropriate for their individual schools, in line with government policy. A survey by the Children’s Commissioner found that 79 per cent of secondary schools allow pupils to bring phones but require them to remain out of sight, while only 3.5 per cent prohibit them entirely.
The report highlights a contrast with Australia, where ten social media firms, including Snapchat, Meta, TikTok and YouTube, will be required to take “reasonable steps” from December 10 to prevent children under 16 from using their platforms. Sir Martyn Oliver indicated that a similar approach could benefit the UK, helping to reduce the negative impact of digital devices on young people’s education and behaviour.
The government maintains that schools already have the authority to restrict phones and said it supports head teachers in taking measures to prevent classroom disruption. The Ofsted report underscores the ongoing challenge of balancing technology, student wellbeing and educational standards across Britain’s schools.
