This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Just under a year ago, headteachers at primary schools in St Albans told families their learning environments would be smartphone free and urged parents not to give their children the devices until the age of 14. Nearly a year into the experiment, Holly Bancroft explores the impact at one school I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice For Matthew Tavender, head of schools at Cunningham Hill primary schools, the problem wasn’t children using their phones during school hours, it was the pervasive influence of social media when his pupils left the classroom “We were dealing with the fallout on Monday morning”, he explains. “In the past 10 years that smartphones have been around, I’ve not heard one in school. But what we were seeing was the damage smartphones were having outside of school Last May, his primary school – along with 32 others in St Albans, Hertfordshire – decided to address the problem themselves declaring their schools smartphone-free and urging parents not to give their children the devices until at least the age of 14 A check-in before Christmas to assess smartphone use among his pupils revealed that just seven per cent of year 6 pupils have a smartphone who would have had a smartphone but now don’t – their attention is much better,” Mr Tavender says “There is a definite improvement in their relationships whereas a lot of our year 6s (aged 10 or 11) were quite sedentary before.” Research from regulator Ofcom last year found that children aged eight to 11 are more likely to own a smartphone than not they had some children in year 3 (aged seven or eight) with their own smartphones Ofcom found that around a quarter of five-to-seven-year-olds have a smartphone. Usage of social media apps and messaging tools is also increasing year-on-year for primary school-age children, and a recent YouGov poll found 23 per cent of children aged eight to 15 spend more than four hours a day using screens. staff were seeing a lot of problems coming from WhatsApp use “That was the biggest cause of bullying and issues with friendship in the school,” he explains “WhatsApp groups were getting bigger and bigger “The interactions between our children were very negative on there – lots of inappropriate language but there were comments on violence and race and things like that “We were having a number of our year 6s talking about Andrew Tate and certainly some of the boys revering who he was.” they could remove themselves from the fight at the end of the school day Now grievances follow them home through instant messaging apps While issues generated from children’s social media use have reduced significantly in the first year of the experiment problems cropped up among the small group of children who still had smartphones with parents having to be warned about inappropriate messages being shared By the time Graham Dill’s 10-year-old son moves into year 6 next year he’s hopeful that almost none of the class will have smartphones “Taking something away is a lot harder than not letting people have it in the first place,” he says As a parent at Cunningham Hill who also works as a private tutor Mr Dill has two different perspectives on the impact of smartphones and social media on children He tutors children who don’t go to school; some with behavioural issues Maintaining his pupils’ attention can be tough in a post-smartphone age he explains: “I’m working with kids from around 13-to-16-years-old and they are extremely distracted “It affects their concentration and their ability to take some deep breaths and be present on a task They need that task to go right immediately or want other stimulation if it is too boring it’s a constant default to take his phone out of his pocket and it is a constant reminder When Cunningham Hill announced to parents that they would go smartphone-free Each year group in the school has a smartphone-free ambassador to relay information to other parents and keep them sticking to the pact are aged 10 and eight and he believes that if parents get on board when their children are younger it is easier to maintain the pledge to keep them smartphone-free “If most people are not doing it [giving their children phones] then it becomes a lot easier,” he explains “We’re having this battle at the moment with Fortnite They all want Fortnite and we [Mr Dill and his wife Rachel] don’t really want them to play that “It’s because their friends are playing Fortnite that they want to do it and I think that’s the same with phones down the line” His boys are also starting to recognise the low mood that can be generated from too long spent online “The comedown is such that they can recognise that they are dysregulated at that point,” he explains “We’re trying to get them to understand when they need to come off a device” Parent ambassadors at the St Albans primary schools have now set their sights on local secondary schools and are hoping to lobby headteachers to push them to take more action Deputy head of Queens Park Community School in London, Paul Drummond, has three children at a secondary school in St Albans At Queens Park Children are not allowed smartphones in years 7 pupils are allowed them but they can’t be seen on the school site but they shouldn’t be seen and can be used in lessons only when the teacher allows it He explains: “Since we’ve banned phones from being on site at key stage 3 the expectation is that if students need a phone so parents can track them “One of the problems with that is that there can be racial stereotyping of children with old Nokias with members of the public thinking they are burner phones Some of the parents are very worried about that “But since we’ve banned phones at key stage 3 and other problems have been reduced quite significantly,” Mr Drummond says We’ve got quite a large site and at break time it’s a much happier place now there’s no phones.” A recent survey of more than 15,000 schools found that 99.8 per cent of primary schools and 90 per cent of secondary schools have some form of phone ban Academics at the University of Birmingham also concluded in a study published in February that just banning smartphones in schools doesn’t improve children’s grades or wellbeing they argued that any bans need to be part of a wider strategy to lower phone use among students Mr Drummond has experienced the difficulties of trying to reduce the family’s social media use A plan to have no screen time together during the evening restricting phone access should be coupled with education about usage for both his children and pupils His school has introduced a tutorial every week for the whole school on the big news stories of the week “We spent 20 minutes discussing the news story reliability and the importance of developing an opinion and political engagement “The bottom line is that if someone has access to the internet they can look at anything they want to really So we’re trying to get people to understand the perils but also to understand why it is great to look things up and find things out.” Ofcom research has found that children’s engagement with news and current affairs is low and comes almost exclusively via social media Netflix Adolescence has recently sparked national debate over the dangers of children’s access to digital spaces. The series follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller, whose exposure to misogynistic online communities may have contributed to his killing a female classmate. While prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has supported the screening of Adolescence in schools, he has said that a government-led phone ban is “completely unnecessary”. For Mr Tavender, stricter measures from government would be very helpful. “If the government were to say we are banning phones, then it would make it very easy to get that message across, because that is just the way it is,” he says. He’s against a “postcode lottery” where some schools have stricter measures than others: “It should be a national decision like in other countries, to ban phones and social media for children. From an education point of view, we are crying out for that support.” In the meantime, he’s keen to keep the grassroots movement going and persuade local secondary schools to also ask parents to delay giving their children smartphones. The school is also trying to go beyond phone use and convince more of their students to get outside, and encourage outdoor play. Mr Dill feels the same. While he’s been encouraged by the changes that St Albans primary schools have made, he wants politicians to get on board. “I think rather than bottom up it, needs to come from top down, but I guess we won’t see that until we have enough people from the bottom raising their hands and saying they want things done,” he says. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies a town’s primary schools banned smartphones This is what happened","description":"Just under a year ago headteachers at primary schools in St Albans told families their learning environments would be smartphone free and urged parents not to give their children the devices until the age of 14 Holly Bancroft explores the impact at one school Debbie Heath returns to the Abbey Theatre for Company of Ten’s simply extraordinary take on Martin McDonagh’s comedy drama… I must say that I had really been looking forward to the ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ I already liked Martin McDonagh’s writing and although I was unfamiliar with this particular play I knew I could probably expect a some well-observed character comedy whilst exploring the highly emotive issue of the perception of disability in a closed-minded community Martin McDonagh is of Irish parentage but grew up in London This slight removal combined with heritage would surely give him a fascinating perspective on Irish village life I’ll admit I’m quite the ‘Father Ted’ fan and was hoping for a play that recreated some of that vibe amidst the serious themes Ali Pagan’s beautifully realised set combined the outside with the in I mused with another audience member how on earth she had been able to create such realistic stone walls The inside of the shop was gorgeously quaint and these combined and the boat in the corner gave us three distinct playing areas Mial Pagan’s thoughtful sound design was another contributing factor in creating the atmosphere The nature soundscape had been well researched and range of Irish music was super Director Jenny Kilcast used her cast effectively in this pre-play section Three of them occupied the set and interacted with the audience – a strategy I rate highly if done as well as this These factors all combined to transport the audience in the Abbey Studio theatre straight to Inishmaan before the play even began Each of the nine roles are well-rounded and must have been a joy to get to grips with by the talented company had clearly focussed hard on character realisation in her cast and the results were superb The overall mastery of accents was equally impressive I was pleased to see some strong physicalisation which is sometimes harder to master – every little gesture mattered For example Kasia Bambridge as Helen and Jonathan Snelling as Bartley both played these teen roles with youthful energy and a physicality that was not their own Their moments of sibling banter were high points of the show for me All works of art need light and shade and the contrast between this energy and that of the “cripple” himself was well marked Benedict Gaskin as Billy mastered the limp convincingly throughout and had a sad but tolerant vibe which worked so well Here is a character who has spent his orphaned life shuffling between the doctor’s surgery and local shop of his two old maid guardians to the cries of “Hello there Cripple Billy.” As a disabled person myself I found his plight very touching and well realised I cannot mention every cast member by name but please be assured that they can all be proud not only of their individual performances but the way they worked together as a team trapped by a closed-minded home town and harder still Billy wants to escape and enlists Babbybobby (expertly played by Thomas Fink-Jenson) to row him to see an American talent scout who is filming in the area I won’t spoil the play by telling you the outcome but it’s a good understated plot that feels appropriate for the characters and setting So did I get the feel of ‘Father Ted’ that I had hoped for This is a really outstanding script that causes the audience to consider whether we have really moved on in our perceptions and treatment of people who are different It also gets us thinking about how we show love and that it has the potential to make our children feel claustrophobic and trapped The power of this production is due to everything working together sublimely from script ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ is simply one of the finest plays I have ever seen the Company of Ten produce and I only wish I could go again You can help keep quality local journalism alive by making a one-off donation or set up a regular direct debit Any contributions will help ensure the long-term future of the St Albans Times ©2025 St Albans Times. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Website by Moxie You can help keep quality local journalism alive by making a one-off donation or set up a regular direct debit. Any contributions will help ensure the long-term future of the St Albans Times. Share to FacebookShare to LinkedinSt Albans Mayor will lay a wreath at the City’s war memorial to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day senior Council officers and representatives of the Royal British Legion Everyone is welcome at the event at the memorial in St Peter’s Street at 9.30am on Thursday 8 May It will be an opportunity for the community to come together and pay their respects to the millions of victims of the Second World War will join more than 300 criers across the UK and Commonwealth and read the VE Day 80 Proclamation VE Day occurred on 8 May 1945 when Nazi Germany surrendered to Britain and its allies bringing an end to the Second World War in Europe will take place at St Albans City and District Council’s main offices from 10.30am after the wreath laying Any veteran wishing to attend should email mayoralty@stalbans.gov.uk with family and friends welcome to do so on their behalf The Union flag will be flown from St Albans Museum + Gallery where a new display exploring the varied wartime experiences of local people launches in the Assembly Room at 10am This display highlights the unique personal stories of eight individuals from across the District with topics ranging from evacuation to life as a Prisoner of War there will be a free performance of wartime songs by a local choir on Saturday 10 May when the community group The Monday Choir will sing the hits of Vera Lynn and other 1940s favourites.  The Charter Market on Saturday 3 and Wednesday 7 May will be VE Day-themed with traders encouraged to put up red white and blue bunting as well as other appropriate decorations It is a great honour to lead the District’s celebration of VE Day 80 I hope many of our residents will join me at the war memorial as a wreath is laid in memory of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms and way of life There are many other events people can attend and I would urge them to go along to the Museum + Gallery to see the VE Day display and listen to the choir I am particularly looking forward to hosting a coffee morning for our veteran servicemen and women This will be a chance for me to meet people from our District and thank them for their service to the country Among the other events taking place around the District to mark the historic occasion are beacon lightings at Highfield Park This is part of a national initiative with more than 1,000 beacons being lit at 9.30pm across the country begins at 8.30pm with the Town Crier reading the proclamation at 9.20pm there will be a short service at St Mary’s Church at 8pm followed by the 9.30pm beacon lighting at the village’s war memorial This is being organised by Redbourn Parish Council people will be encouraged to join in the communal singing of  I Vow To Thee My Country and the National Anthem the Parish Council is organising a free VE Day exhibition at Marford Memorial Hall uniforms and other artefacts to bring to life the wartime stories of residents and evacuees There will also be a street café selling 1940s style cakes and other treats there will be a special Choral Evensong at 5pm Everyone is welcome and the event will include prayers for peace across the world will join the nationwide Ring Out celebrations with a glorious ringing of the bells Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533;  john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.  There are elections for 10 seats on Hertfordshire County Council with by-elections being held in the Redbourn ward of St Albans City and District Council and the North South and West wards of Harpenden Town Council All of the County Council's 78 seats are up for election this year with all the results from around Herts appearing here The newly re-formed Friends of Verulamium Park society was formally launched at the Abbey Theatre with a substantial number of new members filling the auditorium the number of members rocketed from the initial 16 members to an impressive 200 or so introduced the event and explained that the society aims to be a voice for users of the park and to provide volunteers to help enhance its environment he gave an overview of the huge variety of wildlife and plants across the park including newly introduced water voles and rare species of butterflies and birds such as yellow-browed warblers and kingfishers Dan Flitton of SADC summarised the work currently being carried out in the park which includes cutting back trees on the banks of the River Ver to enhance wildlife and improve water quality and creating wetlands to support natural flooding with pedestrian bridges to improve accessibility including the drawing up of detailed designs for improvements to the lake This was supported by John Pritchard of the Ver Valley Society who explained the need for chalk streams like the River Ver to have good flow and high quality of water to provide a suitable habitat for indigenous plants and insects John summarised the role of his society and how it could work with and support the Friends Catherine Newley of St Albans Museums gave an overview of the history of the park She described the original Iron Age settlement the creation of the Roman town of Verulamium its destruction by Boudicca and rebuilding by the Romans into a fortified town and the re-use of the Roman bricks in the 1100s to build the Cathedral It was converted into a public park in the 1930s after extensive archaeological excavations Most of the questions after the presentations focussed on current and future works in the park In response Dan Flitton provided an honest assessment of what was and was not possible given the physical and financial constraints The meeting concluded with Bill Free thanking the speakers the Abbey Theatre for hosting the event at no charge and the attendees for such an amazing turnout and interaction Next steps will be the setting up of voluntary groups to help improve the park including the removal of potentially damaging foliage from the Roman wall demonstrating the value the people of St Albans place on Verulamium Park,” said Bill afterwards “Their interest and enthusiasm went beyond our expectations and promises a bright future for the Friends “Verulamium Park is an important part of St Albans and one of the reasons visitors come from far and wide It offers a unique combination of wildlife recreation and history all in one space and needs careful stewardship the Friends of Verulamium Park are keen to contribute to its future.” The Friends welcome more members. Joining instructions can be found here Hertfordshire County Council – St Albans District – candidates for Thursday 1 May 2025 elections Asterisk*  - denotes a sitting Councillor standing for re-election in the same ward candidates for by-election in the Redbourn ward on Thursday 1 May ** The two candidates with the most votes will be elected There are ten county divisions in the district and all county councillor seats are up for election Poll cards will be issued in late March and voters are asked to check to see which polling station they should attend as there may have been a change.  there are also by elections taking place in the below areas you’ll receive two poll cards and (if you’ve applied for a postal vote) two postal vote packs Each ballot paper will clearly indicate which election it relates to and how many candidates you can vote for.  •    St Albans City & District Council (Redbourn ward) - 1 vacant seat•    Harpenden Town Council (Harpenden North town ward) - 1 vacant seat•    Harpenden Town Council (Harpenden South town ward) - 2 vacant seats•    Harpenden Town Council (Harpenden West  town ward) - 1 vacant seat  You must be on the electoral register in order to vote. If you've recently moved, it's important that you register at your new address. Visit our Electoral register and voting page for details of how to register See the key deadlines section below for information on the registration deadline.  Voters are required to show photo ID when voting at a polling station. Visit our Elections Act and Voter ID page for more information.  With the Easter bank holiday weekend (18 – 21 April) falling shortly before polling day residents who are going to be away around the bank holiday or election may wish to apply for a postal or proxy vote Postal vote packs are due to be despatched between 11 April and 22 April (depending on the date the postal vote was applied for) and must be completed and returned by 10pm on 1 May Visit our Electoral register and voting page for details of how to apply. See the key deadlines section below for information on the postal and proxy vote application deadlines.  Below are the deadlines for registering to vote (if you're not already on the electoral register) and (if you don't have photo ID) applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.   Notices related to the 1 May 2025 elections will appear below.  you will be sent a poll card which contains the address of your polling station Polling stations may change depending on the election. In the run-up to an election, you can also find details of your polling station by using Democracy Club’s polling station finder If you have any questions about this election, please take a look at the questions below and on our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page. Information is also available on the Electoral Commission’s website If you can’t find an answer to your question below Email: elections@stalbans.gov.ukTelephone: 01727 819294 The Electoral Commission’s Candidate or agent pages contain comprehensive guidance for candidates.  Nomination packs for the Hertfordshire County Council elections will be available below to download To assist with calculating candidate spending limits the 1 March local government elector totals will be published below per county division.  Completed nomination papers can be submitted from Friday 21 March and must be received by no later than 4pm on Wednesday 2 April. Nomination papers must be delivered by hand to: the Deputy Returning Officer Candidates are encouraged to submit their nomination papers for checking as early as possible so that there is time to correct any mistakes For further information, and to arrange an appointment to submit nomination papers, please contact Electoral Services on 01727 819565 / 819554 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk Once the nomination period has closed (4pm on Wednesday 2 April 2025) please see the "Statement of Persons Nominated" under the Election Notices section above The results will also be displayed at: St Albans City & District Council Offices you will need to bring an acceptable form of photo ID This requirement was introduced as part of the Elections Act 2022 For more information about acceptable forms of photo ID, and what to do if you don't have photo ID, please visit our Elections Act and Voter ID page.  The first two digits of your year of birth are pre-printed on your postal voting statement The digits are pre-populated in the first two boxes of the year of birth based on your date of birth This is done to assist electors to complete this section of the postal voting statement correctly If you live in an area with multiple elections you might receive a separate postal voting pack for each election / referendum If you aren't able to return your postal vote pack in time via Royal Mail you can return it via reception at the Civic Centre offices (during office hours) or at your polling station on polling day You will only be able to hand in your own postal vote and the postal votes of up to five other people Political campaigners can only hand in their own postal vote and postal votes for up to five other people that are either close relatives or someone they provide regular care for.  Anybody handing in a postal vote in person at the council offices or at a polling station must complete a short form.  Postal vote packs are usually sent out around two weeks before election day If you've not received your postal vote pack by four working days before election day contact Electoral Services on 01727 819294 or elections@stalbans.gov.uk We can only issue a replacement before 5pm on election day.  A teller is a volunteer working for a candidate or a political party They stand outside polling stations to record who has voted They do not work for the Returning Officer Tellers can:• Ask for your elector number• Wear a small coloured rosette to show which candidate or party they work for Tellers can't:• Intimidate electors or demand their elector number• Prevent electors from entering the polling station• Attempt to influence how electors vote we mark the historic 80th anniversary of VE Day families and communities of our great nation coming together to unite and celebrate 80 years of peace since the end of Word War II in Europe that so many millions paid the ultimate sacrificed to achieve it If you’re wondering what’s happening locally across the district we’ve put together a simple guide setting out events taking place on Thursday and on other days around the anniversary 9am – The Town Crier will undertake the VE Day Proclamation outside the Clock Tower 9.30am – The Mayor and the Town Crier will pay their respects and lay a wreath to the fallen at the war memorial 9.30am – The Union Flag will fly from the roof 10am – St Albans Museum + Gallery will be marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War with the opening of a new display in the Assembly Room which centres on the experiences of individuals from across the district as a way of humanising and personalising the wartime topics we think we know 5pm – Special Choral Evensong sung by the Abbey Singers The Cathedral Change Ringers are also part of the National Ring Out in Celebration which is happening from bell towers across the land at the same time people across the UK took to the streets to celebrate the end of the Second World War in Europe join the Cathedral for their own VE Day celebrations and dance the night away in the Nave The evening start with drinks and puddings before dancing to vintage sounds performed by the Fleetville Swing Band A pay bar will be running and tickets to include a pudding are £20 8.30pm – Gathering on the Green at Highfield Park 9.20pm – The Town Crier will read the VE proclamation St Albans Mayor Cllr Jamie Day will make an address and light the beacon Over 1,000 beacons and hundreds of Lamp Lights of Peace will shine throughout the United Kingdom with the flames from them representing the ‘light of peace’ that emerged from the dreadful darkness of war After the Beacon is lit the audience will listen to the immortal words of Winston Churchill From city and town squares to village greens the nation will come together at this special moment in time to sing the hymn ‘I Vow To Thee My Country’ honouring the many sacrifices that secured our freedom 10.30am – Opportunity for veterans to join the Mayor for a coffee morning in the Council Chamber Please contact the Mayoral office to confirm attendance by May 7 either by email at mayoralty@stalbans.gov.uk or call 01727 819544 9.15pm – Speech from Mayor of Harpenden Cllr Pip Liver 9.35pm – ‘I Vow To Thee My Country’ singing musical entertainment and a singalong of popular songs from the era May 5 2-4.30pm – WWII themed displays in the church a dance demonstration and music in the hall 10.30am – Community café with WWII themed food 8-10pm – WWII themed displays in church with refreshments including at 9.30pm the lighting of the brazier and a formal tribute by county councillor Sandy Walkington It’s Hedgehog Awareness Week between May 4-10 and probably everyone is aware of how Britain’s favourite mammal is in trouble The hedgehog was red-listed as ‘Vulnerable to Extinction’ in 2020 In the 1950s there were estimated to be around 50 million hedgehogs in Britain The number of hedgehogs in the countryside has declined significantly in the last couple of decades Intensive mono-culture farming has seen both the removal of hedgerows and the increased use of insecticides which means no food or habitat for hedgehogs The hedgehog’s last safe haven is our own gardens but even in suburbia their numbers are going down In St Albans it is noticeable that you don’t even see as many hedgehog casualties on the roads which is in itself an indication that there are fewer of them around Roads are of course one of the biggest killers of hedgehogs with hundreds of thousands killed every year in the UK But there are many other reasons that hedgehogs are struggling Hedgehogs can travel over a kilometre a night visiting 20-30 gardens to find food (and mates!) which means having to travel further and cross more roads caterpillars and worms is also becoming more difficult to find slug pellets and rat poisons contributes to hedgehog fatalities And then there is the contentious issue of injuries to hedgehogs by suburban foxes whose numbers locally have increased in recent years Over half of the admissions to the London Colney Hedgehog Rescue last year were due to fox attacks but they are hard-wired to hunt small mammals and although not all foxes will attempt it many can’t resist snapping at a hedgehog’s spindly back legs as it runs there are very simple steps we can all take to help the hogs: Make a gap of a couple of inches under existing fencing If you are replacing a fence with one with concrete running boards ask the contractor to put in a hedgehog hole Leave a couple of metres at the end of your garden to go wild: don’t cut the grass An old pallet piled with your garden cuttings is a great place for a hog to nest and find food slug pellets or leave rat poison at ground level or in the open They are lethal to birds and amphibians as well as hedgehogs make sure there is a ramp or shallow edge to enable a hedgehog to get out They are apex predators that do not need human intervention as it artificially increases the fox population and leads to territorial shrinkage offer dry cat biscuits with high animal protein inside a hedgehog house that can’t be accessed by foxes or cats Clear rubbish and netting from your gardens If there’s anything a hedgehog can fall in or get stuck in grassroots wildlife organisation ‘Wilderhood Watch’ runs various initiatives to help boost biodiversity at the local level encourages neighbours to get together to make their gardens accessible and hedgehog friendly while alerting motorists to the presence of hedgehogs in that area with hedgehog traffic signs More information can be found at https://wilderhoodwatch.org/projects/hedgehog-street/ Hedgehogs first evolved 15 million years ago Jill Stevens is a volunteer at London Colney Hedgehog Rescue and a member of Wilderhood Watch Any contributions will help ensure the long-term future of the St Albans Times.