EE invites families to free in-store ‘Parents Evening’ sessions ahead of new school year

• As millions of families prepare for a return to school this week, new EE research finds parents, teachers and pupils are all expecting the effects of out-of-school screentime to spill into the classroom 
• 9 in 10 (87 percent) teachers report shortening concentration spans, especially after the summer holidays, while 7 in 10 pupils say smartphones and social media have already led to rows; and most parents (52 percent) are calling for more support to bed children back into school life  
• To help, EE is bringing ‘Parents’ Evenings’ to the high street, with free half-hour online safety appointments available in hundreds of stores throughout September
• Educating Yorkshire’s Matthew Burton has teamed up with EE and teachers nationwide to create a free ‘homework sheet’ for parents to upskill ahead of the new school year

EE has today announced it is bringing ‘Parents’ Evening’ sessions to the high-street for millions of parents, in time for the back-to-school season. The free, one-to-one bookable appointments have been designed to help families manage young people’s online safety and social media use. The intervention builds on a suite of support already offered to young people, including Safer SIMs and smartphone guidance.

It comes as millions of families across the UK prepare for a return to school this week. EE is setting the stage for a national conversation between parents and teachers about smartphone safety, at a time when it is needed most.

Smartphone ownership is now the norm among secondary school children, with nine in 10 (93 percent) expected to walk through the school gates with one in their pocket this week. But new research from EE finds parents, teachers and pupils are all expecting fallout from a summer of out-of-school screentime to spill into the classroom this term and are calling for help making the return to routine easier.

Secondary school teachers have a unique perspective on the matter. According to EE’s research, nine in 10 (87 percent) have seen concentration spans shorten in recent years. A further 85 percent are seeing issues originating online, from group chat fallouts to late-night scrolling, routinely disrupt lessons and eat into valuable learning time.

It’s a challenge most pronounced in the weeks after the summer holidays. Two in five teachers (39 percent) say re-establishing phone rules and expectations with pupils in the first few weeks of term is significantly harder than at any other point in the year.

Matthew Burton, Headteacher of Thornhill Community Academy and star of Channel 4’s Educating Yorkshire, said:”Establishing good routines after a long summer holiday is crucial. We often see pupils come back to school after six weeks of relative freedom online and land with a bump at their school desk. For teachers, a lot of the first half of term is spent getting pupils to shake those bad habits and refocus on their studies.

This isn’t about demonising parents for letting kids use smart devices; with the right guardrails they can be an invaluable resource. But as a parent myself I know that the conversations that make the biggest difference happen at the kitchen table, so I wanted this homework sheet to give parents some genuinely useful tips to give their children the best possible start to the new school year.”

Parents under pressure

At home, the picture is similar. Nearly three quarters of pupils (72 percent) say smartphones and social media have led to arguments with their parents this summer, and a third (34 percent) of parents say the return to school adds further pressure as children readjust after heavier-than-usual screen use.

For parents, the concern is as much about promoting safe use as it is curbing over-use. Almost a third (31 percent) are concerned that their child is experiencing negative or harmful content online.

More than half (55 percent) say the pace of technological change is overwhelming, making it difficult to judge whether they are setting the right rules at home. A similar proportion (52 percent) say dedicated sessions on children’s online safety would help them navigate the period.

Claire Gillies, CEO, Consumer at BT’s Consumer Division said: “The digital world brings huge opportunities for young people, but it can also be a source of anxiety for parents. As a parent of a teenager myself, I understand those challenges firsthand. That’s why we’re committed to giving families practical support and trusted advice when they need it most.

As the UK’s best network for families, we are committed to helping people stay connected with confidence. From our ‘Parents Evening’ sessions to Safer SIMs and smartphone guidance, EE is helping families make informed decisions as children head back to school. We’ve made tens of thousands of appointments available in our stores nationwide, and I encourage parents to take advantage of that support.”

Parents’ Evenings

Throughout September, free half-hour online safety appointments will be available in EE stores nationwide, giving parents one-to-one time with a trained colleague to set up parental controls, review app settings and talk through the questions they are not sure how to ask. The sessions will also be available throughout the academic year, so parents can book in a refresher session every term.

EE has also worked with headteacher and Educating Yorkshire star Matthew Burton, alongside teachers from across the country, to create a free ‘homework sheet’ for parents. The ten-minute exercise is designed to help parents start the conversation and set up effective parental controls before the new term gets under way.

Appointments are available from today and can be booked online, in-store or over the phone. The free ‘homework sheet’ can be downloaded online here.

Preparing for the ban

Adding to the uncertainty, is the upcoming social media ban, earmarked for enforcement from Spring 2027. Seven in ten (70 percent) parents are glad the government has stepped in, but most (60 percent) are worried that the restrictions will be difficult to enforce.

And their concerns are not unfounded. Almost half (44 percent) of 11 to 15-year-olds due to be affected by the ban say they have already discussed with their peers how to get around the restrictions, while 56% of 11 to 17-year-olds expect they will switch to different apps once it takes effect.

Concerningly, one in six (16 percent) parents mistakenly believe the ban is coming into force this week, which may leave up to one million young people unsupervised by their parents online.

Rachel Huggins, CEO of Internet Matters said: “Many parents tell us they feel overwhelmed when it comes to their children’s online safety and that managing children’s screentime can feel like a constant battle. After a summer of changed routines and often increased screen use, the start of a new school year can be an ideal opportunity for families to reset digital habits and expectations together.

One of the best places to start is with open and honest family conversations.  Taking an interest in children’s online lives, discussing why boundaries and balance on screen use are important and making sure they know they won’t be blamed if something goes wrong can help create the trust they need to seek support when it matters most.

The EE homework sheet is a useful way to help parents kick-start those conversations, while EE’s Parents’ Evenings make it easier for busy families to access practical support on parental controls and online safety settings. Conversations and controls go hand in hand, and together they can help children enjoy the benefits of the digital world safely and confidently.”

EE offers a suite of online safety tools to help families navigate changing online rules, from Safer SIMs, dedicated mobile plans for under-18s, to robust content filters at network level and parental controls on home Wi-Fi. To help spark important conversations about responsible device use, EE’s P.H.O.N.E. Contract, a free resource designed to help parents and children get on the same page about device use dos and don’ts, is available to download here.

Appointments are free to book at https://ee.co.uk/store-finder or in any EE store. The ‘homework sheet’ can be downloaded here.