I’ve worked in IT for private and state schools in the UK and let me tell you: the prats running private schools get away with shit that would land anyone at state schools in prison, so I can’t say I’m surprised to hear this about Eton but please don’t tar every school with the same brush.

In the private schools I worked at, the process for issuing a device to a student invariably went: “Here’s your top-of-the range Apple iThing. Here’s a piece of paper with the apps we expect you to install.” and that was it - the kids were free to do what they wanted, which is the problem here: not that they have an iPad, but that they have full access to the web browser, App Store, social media, games, etc. Kids were addicted to them from day one for all the reasons we all already know about, but the Fauntleroys who make the decisions in those places just don’t want to hear it and will push back on having to make any kind of decision.

State schools were invariably more sensible and when devices were issued - to students, classes, libraries, whatever - they were heavily managed by MDM to make sure that student had exactly what they needed and nothing more: no social media, no games, usually no camera, a website whitelist, a curated list of apps that could only be used based on time of day, geofencing, etc, all controlled by policies customised to each location, yeargroup, curriculum needs, etc. Those kids were less enthralled with the devices specifically because they weren’t the target of a never-ending sensory and emotional barrage from predatory billionaires. Where devices were issued to kids on a 1:1 basis for use at home (very rare) they were strictly limited to school-approved tasks unless the parents specifically gave consent (and took responsibility, even rarer); even then there were still strict controls in place and those kids wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near TikTok and it’s ilk. In this context, tablets, smartphones, laptops, whatever are actually really useful, serve their purpose well and really do benefit the students.

The problem, as ever, isn’t the technology, but a lack of consideration and reflection on the part of the decision makers.