School bans phones in a bid to stop bullying and build friendships

A Gold Coast school is enforcing a controversial "no phone policy" in the hopes of getting students to talk to one another.

Pimpama State College said it would now enforce the rule – which has been in place for several years – because students were becoming too absorbed in their mobiles and not talking to each other.

"You know, I've walked passed a table of students and none of them are talking to each other, they're all heads down looking at screens," Principal John Thornberry told 9NEWS.

Students who are caught defying the rule will be forced to leave their phone at the school office and fetch it after school finishes.

Mr Thornberry told the Gold Coast Bulletin the measure also helps limit bullying.

"We have incidents of kids during lunchtime who have had a photo taken of them without their permission, or texting in the playground things that are inappropriate or nasty," he said.

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Other schools are starting to follow suit, with Upper Coomera State College introducing a blanket ban on phone use.

While students think the rule is too strict, parents so far have been supportive.