When Ryan Ihle first heard that his school was going to ban mobile phones he wasn't thrilled.

"Definitely when it came out I thought, this is going to suck," he says.

Narre Warren South students (left to right) Madeleine Gwynne, 15, Joanna Ramea, 17, Ryan Ihle, 17, Melinda Rogerson and Michaela Ford, 15, are adjusting to the ban. Credit:Joe Armao

The year 12 student at Narre Warren South P-12 College liked to use his phone to play music through his earphones during class assignments, block out the world and get his work done quickly.

It takes him longer to finish his work now, but he is at least engaging more with his classmates.