Presenting the Pymble Wise Phone results in Philadelphia

Presenting the Pymble Wise Phone results in Philadelphia

The first phase of our in-school research into the Pymble Wise Phone initiative is now complete and Dr Kate Hadwen, College Principal, and Mr Anthony England, Director of Innovative Technologies, with Dr Sarah Loch of the Pymble Institute, recently presented at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Conference in Philadelphia, USA. In gathering data to understand the impact of the early stages of the initiative, the Pymble Institute extends a huge thank you to the 1,055 students and 279 parents and carers of Years 4 to 8 who responded to the online survey in February 2025.

In summary, parents are feeling well-supported by the College in its initiative to manage phone use and access to social media for Years 4 to 8 students. Similarly, many students reported that their College-managed phone was helping them to self-regulate time spent on their devices and discover (or rediscover) the joys of non-screen time. Trust was also a big theme to emerge and it was heartening to read that many students don’t want to break their parents’ trust and that many parents have well-founded trust in their daughters.

Other interesting and important findings included:

  • More sleep: Students in Years 4 to 8 with a Pymble Wise Phone are more likely (41%) to meet the recommended 9 to 11 sleep hours per night, compared to students with a smartphone (23%).
  • Less time spent ‘looking down’: 78% of Pymble Wise Phone users spend less than one hour per school day on their Pymble Wise Phone, compared to 55% of students with a smartphone.
  • Better time management: 92% of students in Years 4 to 8 with a Pymble Wise Phone report they can generally get work done and manage time effectively, compared to 85% of students with a smartphone.
  • More exercise: 21% of Pymble Wise Phone users report exercising for at least 60 minutes, 7 times a week, compared to 21% of smartphone users who report exercising for at least 60 minutes, 3 times a week.
  • Positive behaviour changes are taking place: The table below shows students with Pymble Wise Phones are spending more time on leisure activities and with family and friends, and less time on screens and devices.

We have used the research survey to also identify areas for improvement and to shape future directions. This is an example of how school-based research provides a tool to understand the experiences of a large group of people.