Parents are worried that children at the school are spending too much time on screens
Overdale Infant and Junior School in Knighton(Image: Leicester City Council)
Parents at a Leicester school claim technology is being “forced” on children as young as six with “little genuine consultation or transparency”.
The 60-strong group at Overdale Infant and Junior School say the Oak Multi Academy Trust in Knighton has failed to provide a “maximum daily screen-time limit” for pupils.
It comes as the Government warns that young children should spend no more than an hour a day in front of a screen.
Every child at the school’s junior site already has their own individual iPad, parents claim, with the devices said to be used across subjects, including music and PE.
The rollout has now reached the infant school, with every Year 2 child handed their own iPad and stylus following a letter to parents on March 25 titled “iPads at the infants.”
William Moore, the father of two pupils, says the school has “covertly and subtly” increased its use of technology without properly informing parents.
Despite “repeatedly asking” for clear information on daily usage, he says concerns have been “consistently underplayed” and that children are coming home with “a very different story” about how long they are spending on the devices.
The revolt comes as the Government issued guidance this week, warning that screen time for young children should be limited to no more than one hour a day.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Parenting in a digital world can feel relentless. Screens are everywhere, and the advice is often conflicting. My Government will not leave parents to face this battle alone.”
Mr Moore warns that Oak Multi Academy Trust could allow the rollout to “spread to every school the Trust operates.”
He says there is “a substantial and growing body of evidence showing that heavy technology use in primary schools is actively damaging to children’s emotional and physical wellbeing.”
Oak Multi Academy Trust said it had “engaged openly with parents and governors throughout” and had “made adjustments in response to feedback.”
Overdale Infant School shares a campus with Overdale Junior School
A spokesperson said technology was “used carefully and in balance with traditional teaching” and was “not a replacement for teaching, books or practical learning”, with use “limited to short, purposeful periods where it adds value.”
In a statement, the trust said: “OAK Multi Academy Trust has engaged openly with parents and governors throughout the implementation of the Frontiers programme and has made adjustments in response to feedback.
“We are aware that a number of parents have raised concerns, and we have been engaging constructively with them through meetings and discussions rather than through any formal process.
“Technology is used carefully and in balance with traditional teaching — it is not a replacement for teaching, books or practical learning. Monitoring across classrooms shows that use is limited to short, purposeful periods where it adds value.
“For younger children, there is no 1:1 device allocation, and use is minimal and age-appropriate. Today’s Government guidance, which focuses on early years and home use, closely reflects the balanced approach already in place across our schools.
“Pupils continue to experience a full curriculum, including music, PE and the arts, with technology used only where it supports learning. Technology also plays an important role in improving access to learning, particularly for pupils with SEND or those who speak English as an additional language.
“The national conversation is rightly moving beyond “screen time” to the quality and context of use — and that is the principle that underpins our approach.
We are confident in our approach and would welcome the opportunity for the Leicester Mercury to visit and see how this works in practice.”