Headteacher Simon Botten Bans Smartphones at Blackhorse Primary After Pupil Receives 9,000 WhatsApp Messages Overnight

A shocking incident involving 9,000 overnight WhatsApp messages on a Year 6 pupil’s phone has led to a total smartphone ban at Blackhorse Primary School in Bristol, headteacher Simon Botten has confirmed.

The decision comes after a phone was mistakenly left overnight in a teacher’s cupboard and returned the next day, displaying thousands of group chat notifications. The discovery prompted Mr Botten to initiate a year-long consultation with parents, which ultimately led to the ban.

“Nine thousand messages in just 15 hours overnight—it was a wake-up call,” said Mr Botten, who has led the school for nearly two decades.

Previously, pupils were allowed to bring smartphones but had to hand them in during lessons. The overwhelming number of notifications, coupled with concerns over cyberbullying, predatory threats, and screen addiction, triggered serious discussions about digital safety.

Writing on his blog, Mr Botten highlighted the growing dangers of unsupervised phone use.
“Predatory strangers are reaching children in their bedrooms while their parents watch EastEnders downstairs. We’ve had near miss after near miss—eventually, that leads to disaster,” he warned.

The new policy completely bans smartphones from the premises. As a compromise for safety, parents may provide simple “brick” phones that only allow calls and texts. The school will continue contacting parents via traditional methods in case of emergency or absence.

The move has been widely supported. A parent poll showed 87% in favour of the ban at Blackhorse. Emersons Green Primary, the school’s sister institution, may soon follow with a similar policy pending a governors’ vote.

Since the announcement, Mr Botten reports receiving no complaints, only messages of gratitude.
“Removing phones has also reduced peer pressure to own flashy devices,” he said.
“It’s no longer about showing off the latest gadget—it’s about keeping kids safe.”

The ban officially comes into effect in September.