A technology company has launched a pilot scheme across six schools to help families and teachers set boundaries around children’s smartphone use.

Orbiri announced the programme, involving primary and secondary schools in Surrey, Hampshire and Hertfordshire, as debate grows over how best to address rising concerns about young people’s screen time.

The pilot includes Weydon School, More House School and St Peter’s C of E Primary School in Farnham, and Holy Trinity School in Woking.

Pupils, parents and staff will take part in a shared framework designed to encourage healthier digital habits both during the school day and at home.

Rather than banning devices outright, the system allows schools and families to agree common expectations across year groups. Apps and websites are organised into age-appropriate categories, or “spaces”, such as school, social media, play and entertainment, each with set opening hours and daily time limits.

During school hours, only learning and essential tools are accessible on devices used in lessons, while families can apply similar limits outside school hours to support balance between online activity and offline life.

Developers say applying the same rules across a school community helps reduce peer pressure and conflict between children and parents.

The launch comes amid increasing international debate about children’s access to smartphones and social media. Australia has introduced restrictions on social media accounts for under-16s, while UK politicians and campaigners have called for tighter controls in schools.

Jason Michaelides, founder and chief executive of Orbiri, said the issue could not be solved by individual families alone.

“The problem isn’t that parents don’t care or that schools aren’t trying hard enough,” he said. “It’s that we’re asking individuals to solve a collective problem.

“You can ban phones in one place or restrict one app for your own child, but unless children see the same expectations everywhere — at school, at home, with friends — the pressure and conflict simply resurface.”

He added that community-wide systems could help schools and families adapt if governments introduce stricter regulation around social media or device use.

Ros Allen, headteacher at Weydon School, said the trial supported partnership working with families.

“I am delighted that Weydon School families have the opportunity to trial this cutting-edge technology which seeks not only to offer a pragmatic and workable solution to the thorny issue of children’s access to smartphones but also epitomises my commitment to working in partnership with parents to set clear boundaries around the use of smartphones for young people,” she said.

Sarah Dunning, headteacher at St Peter’s C of E School, said collaboration between local schools was a key benefit.

“Working together in this way allows us to support families more effectively and help build a healthy, consistent culture around smartphone use,” she said.

Nicholas Fowler, assistant headteacher for behaviour at Fearnhill School, said the approach focused on long-term habits rather than prohibition.

“Mobile phones are brilliant, however they can be difficult for anyone to manage,” he said. “Instead of banning mobile phones we are excited to be working with Orbiri to help our students learn to manage and control their mobile phone usage.”

Parent communications and onboarding have already begun, with the pilot due to run until the end of the current academic year. Orbiri said it would review anonymised participation and behaviour data — not personally identifiable information — to inform a wider rollout later this year.

The company, founded by parents seeking alternatives to traditional parental controls, says the programme is intended to test whether healthier digital behaviour can be achieved when whole school communities adopt shared expectations.