A school has banned parents from using mobile phones in the playground

A primary school has banned parents from using mobile phones in the playground.

The move was introduced after the school’s headteacher spotted parents were too engrossed in their phones to engage with their children when picking them up from school.

St Peter's CE Primary School, Leigh, in Manchester, announced the new tech-free rule on social media over the weekend.

Mobile phone use has been banned from the playground in an attempt to encourage parents to interact with their children, instead of looking at their electronic devices.

“As from Monday 7th October, our aim is that our playground at the end of day pickup, will be a mobile free zone. Please read the poster to explain why,” a post on the school's Facebook page read.

The school’s headteacher, Wendy Cathie, went on to explain the reason behind the phone ban.

“How many of you are so engrossed in a conversation with your friend or on the phone, that you forget to say to your child ‘Hi how was your day?’ smile warmly at them or give them a hug? I am sure we have all done that.”

The post continues by saying how lovely it is to see children eager to see the adult picking them up.

“The smiles on their faces when they notice you on the playground. Often running to you and starting a conversation before you can hear them over the buzz of other people's conversations.”

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The post goes on to remind parents how important conversation is for a child's mental health and development and urge them to engage with their kids.

“Please take a moment to listen and talk to your child. The power of talk has a huge impact on our children's language development - it stimulates brain development.

“Their wisdom grows, their vocabulary becomes richer, and they develop curiosity, critical thinking and intelligence.

“In addition it supports a child to develop a good mental health,” the post adds.

Speaking about the response to the new rule, Ms Cathie told Manchester Evening Post the response has been mostly positive.

"I know we don't always see what parents share but the feedback I have seen has been positive,” she said.

"There was one parent on her phone yesterday so I just said 'excuse me, we're now a mobile-free school and she just said 'oh right, sorry'."

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The school isn’t the only school to take drastic action in order to try to help improve the wellbeing of parents and children.

Last month it was revealed that a primary school in the UK has banned school holidays, allowing parents to take their children out of school for six weeks whenever they want.

Over in Australia, a school in Melbourne, recently announced it has started fining parents who pick their children up late.

The new policy was introduced after the school spotted a trend for parents leaving their children on school premises long after teaching hours had finished.

And last year, a school in the US hit headlines after they introduced a dress code for parents picking children up at the school gates.

James Madison High School in Houston claimed it will turn away parents who show up at the school gates in pyjamas, hair rollers, leggings and other ‘unsuitable’ items of clothing.