Parents have been told to 'let go' and resist the temptation of giving their children smartphones to track their every movement.

David Smith, headmaster of The Fulham Boys School in west London, issued the stern advice - saying there is an 'obsession with the idea something could go wrong'.

The 37-year-old, who has not given devices to his 12-year-old daughter or ten-year-old son, told The Sunday Times: 'My daughter started secondary school this year.

'She goes to school, and I presume she's at school. I think she's there because no one has told me she's not there.'

Mr Smith went on to add the risks of 'addiction' and 'reliance' could be 'fed through the device'.

He concluded: 'I'd happily take the risk of her not having one. Part of (parents) showing their love is to let go - it needs to happen.'

Under Mr Smith's leadership, the Fulham Boys School only allows pupils to bring a 'brick' phone - a device not connected to the Internet.

Those found with a smartphone will have it confiscated from them for six weeks.

One pupil at the school had his device taken away in June but did not get it back until October, due to the six-week ban excluding school holidays.

The policy - unusual for secondary schools in the UK - caused some concern when it was first introduced in September 2024.

Anxious parents feared the prospect of losing their ability to monitor their children's movements on apps such as Apple's FindMy app or Google's Find Hub.

Mr Smith said he knew parents at the school loved their children - adding 'we love them too' - but insisted part of this love is 'to let go'.

The headmaster went on to describe the reaction one pupil who had their phone confiscated - who 'sobbed and screamed for hours like they were coming off a class A drug'.

He also recalled a parent worrying they would not know their son was safe if they could not 'see [his] face on the [phone] screen while he's on the school trip every single day'.

Mr Smith urged parents to consider when this caution would end - asking, 'If I track my daughter consistently, do I continue when she goes to university? When she gets a boyfriend?'

Just five per cent of secondary schools in England have a brick phone policy - and for many of these, it is being gradually introduced and only applies to younger year groups.

Mr Smith was seen as a pioneer when he first introduced the rules at his west London school.

He suggested parents who were adamant about monitoring their children could instead use a tracker, such as an Apple AirTag.

Fulham Boys, a Church of England school which opened in 2014, is recognised as one of the best-performing schools in the country.

Last year it boasted a 91 per cent pass rate at GCSE - compared to the national average of 67 per cent.

Mr Smith, who joined the school in 2018, claimed his pupils were more streetwise as they would be more aware of their surroundings while crossing roads and required to navigate bus timetables and late trains without the help of the internet.

He added this had taught the boys, particularly those with special education needs, how to go into a shop to ask for directions and what to do if they were having transport issues. 

Mr Smith went on to say it was only a minority of parents that were very unhappy with the ban.

In the first three months after the policy was introduced the number of smartphones confiscated from students was 40.

A year later, the figure over the same period had reduced to six.

By the age of 11, nine in 10 children have their own phones - though not necessarily a smartphone, according to Ofcom.

The government is consulting on children's social media use and a phone ban in schools - with Bridget Phillipson, education secretary, saying phones should not be used during break or lunchtime.