EVERY primary school in Newquay has agreed to ban pupils from bringing in smart mobile phones.

Eight primary school head teachers have signed up to Newquay Town Council’s smartphone-free covenant following concerns the devices cause harm to schoolchildren from a lack of concentration to depression and cyber-bullying.

It follows Charlie Seyfert, who taught science at Treviglas Academy, appealing to the authority to back her campaign after research showed smart phones are fuelling a “mental health crisis” as pupils and students have access to the “darkest parts” of the internet.

Newquay Town Council is looking to sign up Newquay Tretherras and Treviglas Academy to its smart-free covenant as well as get Cornwall Council to adopt a similar covenant across the whole of the Duchy.

The issue was discussed at Newquay Town Council’s meeting on Wednesday.

Mayor Cllr Drew Creek said: “I hosted eight head teachers from primary schools in Newquay, St Newlyn East and St Columb Major. They came together to sign our smart phone free covenant for schools, which we have been spearheading over the last few months.

“We were really pleased to have those head teachers in. All our primary schools have signed that covenant now. I have eight smart phone free banners ready to gift to them as a thank you for signing we go up on their school gates.

“We are just working on the two secondary schools in Newquay, Treviglas and Tretherras. My understanding is they are certainly on that journey with us but understandably that is slightly a trickier ask for a secondary school than a primary school. I think the head teachers signing up to our smart-phone free covenant is brilliant news. I have been approached by numerous towns following up on the scheme.

“I have been asked by a number of Cornwall councillors to bring the initiative to full council at Cornwall Council.

“So, I had a conversation with the strategic director at Cornwall Council for children and families and they have gone away to explore the legal ramifications of that within Cornwall Council.

“So, I hope to bring that to a Cornwall Council meeting very soon. Once again Newquay is leading the way making sure our children have a brilliant experience growing up here.”