Sydney Private Schools Tighten Mobile Phone Rules as Trinity Grammar Extends Ban to Year 8 in 2027 — Sydney Auction Clearance Rate at 48%

Weekly Market Focus

Sydney’s Trinity Grammar School has announced that from 2027, students from Kindergarten to Year 8 will be banned from using smartphones on campus and during school activities, making it the first boys’ school in Sydney to introduce restrictions of this extent. Students will still be allowed to carry basic mobile phones capable of calls and text messages, but without internet access, when travelling to and from school. The school said the decision reflects growing concerns about the impact of excessive screen time on students’ attention, working memory and anxiety. Meanwhile, the NSW Government is also planning tighter restrictions on screen use in schools from next year, with some activities potentially limited to as little as 15 minutes a day.

Trinity is not alone in tightening its rules. Other private schools, including Pymble Ladies’ College, Frensham and The Armidale School, have introduced similar measures. Pymble’s Wise Phone initiative limits smartphone functions to help students reduce screen time, with participating students reporting better sleep, less time wasted on their phones and more time spent with family and friends. St Aloysius’ College has taken a different approach, restricting computer use outside lessons for Year 7 students to encourage more social interaction and physical activity during breaks.

A growing number of schools and parents believe excessive device use cannot be addressed by families alone. Two years ago, Queenwood School in Mosman encouraged parents to collectively delay buying smartphones for their children. While the initiative achieved some success in primary school, maintaining the approach became more difficult as students entered secondary school. Advocates argue that the concerns extend beyond online content to include sleep, concentration and face-to-face social interaction. As a result, how schools, parents, technology companies and governments share responsibility for setting appropriate boundaries around smartphone use is becoming an increasingly important issue in Australian education.

Last Week’s Auction Results

Sydney: A total of 985 properties were taken to auction, with results reported for 564 properties. Of these, 271 were sold, resulting in a 48% clearance rate. The total auction value reached AUD 238,525,888, with a median sale price of AUD 1,517,500.

Melbourne: A total of 574 properties were taken to auction, with results reported for 380 properties. Of these, 212 were sold, resulting in a 56% clearance rate. The total auction value reached AUD 182,690,708, with a median sale price of AUD 922,000.