This Aussie school is gifting its students phones, but there's a catch.

TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Discord, Pinterest. Children are losing hours each day to their phones, and plenty of parents are concerned.

As of 2021, Australian teens were spending about 14 hours per week online. And while growing up in the digital age has its perks, we know social media has a dark side.

Spending too long on social media is associated with higher levels of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and psychological distress, according to Headspace, although causation is not proven.

Then there are the concerns about cyberbullying, sleep problems and body image issues.

Even the prime minister has had enough, with Anthony Albanese "calling time" on social media and the harm it's doing to Australian kids.

Across Australia, governments have banned phones or restricted their use in state schools. Now, a Sydney school has gone one step further by rolling out semi-smartphones that control what students can access.

Under its new Wise Phone initiative, Pymble Ladies College is gifting students a phone that offers limited features in line with their age and no internet browser.

Year 4 to 5 students can make calls and texts and limited other features such as a calculator app and maps.

In Years 5 to 7, the Wise Phone will include extra features including Opal, tap payments, camera and school apps and learning tools.

Year 7 to 9 students will gain access to group chats on WhatsApp, emails and music streaming services while still delaying access to social media.

Then in Year 10 and beyond, the Wise Phone can be independently managed by families.

Pymble funds the phone, while the parent funds the SIM and plan.

Watch: Should we ban our children from social media. Post continues below.

Almost 60 per cent of parents and carers are worried about how social media is impacting their children, according to a survey by mental health service ReachOut.

Of these parents, about 30 per cent of them said it had "a lot" of impact on their teens' wellbeing.

Principal Dr Kate Hawden hopes the Wise Phone initiative can combat this.

"We understand that mobile phones play an important role in keeping families connected with their children. However, the negative impact of social media and smartphone addiction on young people is well supported by research," she said.

"As a leading independent girls' school, we are in a unique position to work with our families and address this issue by providing a solution that promotes responsible and appropriate use of technology and allows our students to learn, play and develop positive relationships in real life and online."

Deputy Principal Justin Raymond said behaviour that used to occur in older cohorts was taking place in younger years.

"Our aim is to stop this slide backwards and regain control of our children's childhood," he said in a message to parents.

So far, parent and student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with 100 per cent take-up by Year 6 and Year 7 families ahead of the 2025 school year. The school even switched from an "opt-in" to "opt-out" model.

Principal Dr Kate Hawden says the Wise Phone initiative is about prioritising students' wellbeing.

A "godsend" for parents.

Parent Luisa Hanna, whose daughter is in Year 6, said the program was a relief for parents balancing concerns over social media use at a young age with the reality that most children had access to phones.

"I felt like we had no options: our daughter is beginning Year 7 next year and, if we wanted her to feel included, we would have had to give in and get her a smartphone and be stuck to deal with the repercussions of that decision," she said.

"This has been a godsend; the answer to our prayers. It allows us to give our daughter a phone that is age appropriate and allows her to test the waters of responsibility for having a phone without all the apps and worrying extras like social media, which are hard to navigate at her age."

Some of the students are on board too, with many girls well aware of how social media affects their lives.

"At times I found myself not being able to stop that scrolling motion. Even when I was supposed to be doing work and co-curricular activities, I found myself thinking of TikTok and just wanting to scroll," one Year 9 student said.

"I know girls whose parents follow their Instagram accounts so they just make up second Instagram accounts so the parents don't know what's going on in their lives," another said.

The college knows changing children's connections to the online world may be challenging at first, but Dr Hawden and Raymond believe it is worth it in the long run.

"Often in life, the most difficult decisions we make are the ones that reap the greatest benefit. In this case, your daughter's well-being is the priceless benefit," the school states on its website.

"This phone will still allow her to stay connected with family and friends, but in a way that protects her from some of the distractions, pressures and negative aspects of social media and other apps."

These educators hope other schools and parents will follow suit.

Feature image: Getty.