Guiding Digital Childhoods
Guiding Digital Childhoods at TGMS
A CAP-wide commitment to help families build healthy, balanced digital habits: delaying smartphones and social media, keeping school time phone-free, and creating more space for play, friendship and independence.
Real Life First | Delay is OK | Growing Up Offline
Link to Voluntary Commitment Form
What is Guiding Digital Childhoods?
Our Aim Support children’s healthy development and digital well-being through shared family principles and simple school commitments, developed across the local Chiltern Area Partnership (CAP).
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| Our Four Family Principles (CAP-wide)
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| Our School Commitments (CAP-wide)
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Why This Matters?
What Families Told Us Parents across CAP highlighted peer‑pressure, safety/transport, and the need for a united approach. Many asked for a simple “dumb‑phone” option before Y9 and practical alternatives for staying in touch. |
| Development First We are focused on childhood: routines, sleep, attention, in‑person friendship, and play. Our guidance complements KCSIE and DfE Online Safety Guidance, and is informed by The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt.
It also aligns with the national Smartphone‑Free Childhood campaign, reflecting its goals in a more locally‑focused way through CAP collaboration. |
| Community Action Collective Action reduces pressure on any one family as we are in it together. The ‘It’s only me’ argument becomes irrelevant.
The voluntary pledge helps parents move together at a sustainable pace. |
Survey Highlights: What Our Families Told Us
In Autumn 2024, we surveyed parents across Chiltern Area Partnership schools to inform a shared, community-led approach to smartphones and social media. We received 737 responses, revealing the following headline findings:
Voluntary Family Pledge
Make your family’s commitment to delay smartphones (to Y9), delay social media (to 16), keep school‑time phone-free, and build more real-world independence, at a pace that suits your child.
How It Works
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| Make Your Pledge
Link to Voluntary Commitment Form
Takes 1–2 minutes | One per child |
| Current TGMS Participation:
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Taking it Further: Parent-to-Parent Support
In addition to this local CAP pledge, many families also choose to engage with Smartphone Free Childhood, a national, parent-led movement that aligns closely with our work and has endorsed the Guiding Digital Childhoods project.
Smartphone Free Childhood supports parents to:
- Delay smartphones until 14
- Delay social media until 16
- Reduce social pressure by acting together
- Connect with other parents locally and nationally
Signing their Parent Pact is optional, anonymous, and takes around two minutes.
It also sends a powerful message to policymakers that this is something families genuinely care about.
👉 Sign the Smartphone Free Childhood Parent Pact:
https://www.smartphonefreechildhood.org/parent-pact
👉 Join parent-to-parent WhatsApp support (by region and school):
https://linktr.ee/joinsmartphonefreechildhood
Whether or not you sign the pact, we recommend exploring their resources and community support
Parent Resources
Pupil Resources
Awaiting Content
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I keep my child safe on the journey to and from school without a smartphone?
Use a basic call/text phone, pre-agree routes and contingencies, and set clear check-in points. Many families also use walking buddies or lift shares.
What about homework and apps?
We are reviewing homework expectations to avoid unnecessary reliance on smartphone-only apps. Laptops and desktops remain the preferred tools for online learning.
Will my child be left out if others have smartphones?
That’s why we’re taking a collective approach across CAP — to reduce social pressure and keep choices fair.