What would happen to the dynamic in a school if the students locked away their mobile phones for the day? A lot, it turns out — and it's all positive.

Key points: Wauchope High School is trialling lock-up phone technology to help students shift their attention away from social media

Wauchope High School is trialling lock-up phone technology to help students shift their attention away from social media The school says the trial is having a significant impact in the classroom for students and teachers

The school says the trial is having a significant impact in the classroom for students and teachers Students say they are enjoying the trial and there is a lot more interaction between each other

In an Australian first, a school on the NSW mid-north coast has been trialling lock-up pouches for students' mobile phones this term.

Wauchope Public School principal Glen Sawle said the strategy had been tried and tested in more than 1,000 schools in the United States.

Heritage Christian School in Port Macquarie will also soon come on board and Daylesford Secondary College in Victoria has conducted a day trial.

"We are the first school in Australia to implement it as a strategy that is every day and for every student," Mr Sawle said.

"We were just looking for a way to actually assist students shift their focus and attention away from their social media.

Before students enter the school grounds, they turn off their phones or put them on silent and unlock their pouches on one of five unlocking stations on the fence.

The phones are put in the Yondr pouches and stay locked until the students leave.

As students enter the school grounds they have to turn their phone off or put it on silent and put it in their pouch where it gets locked. ( ABC Mid North Coast: Luisa Rubbo )

"Many students are saying they are actually valuing the opportunity to be disengaged for a period of time from their technology and from their social media in particular," Mr Sawle said.

"Rather than banning phones, this is about managing screen time and managing social media time and I think these are good lessons for students in the future as adults as well."

Positive results

Mr Sawle said the feedback the school was getting was generally very positive.

"So far the data seems to suggest the trial has had a really significant impact on the quality of learning going on in the classroom not only for the students but for the teachers," he said.

Head science teacher Jayme Reid said the school had been talking about issues with mobile phones for some time.

"[We were] looking at punishments, looking at consequences — we had a pretty hard and fast rule of it 'out and it's in your bag' but it was undeliverable by teachers," Mr Reid said.

The unlocking stations are mounted outside of the school. ( ABC Mid North Coast: Luisa Rubbo )

"The challenge of doing it without any physical structure was really challenging."

Data from a four-week analysis showed negative incidents with students were down by 10 per cent and suspensions were down by a third.

Mr Reid said there had been a lot of interest in the trial.

"This is not a Wauchope High School problem this is a global issue," he said.

Digital detox

School vice-captain Ella-Jai Nolland said having no phone by her side was a big adjustment.

"I was excited, nervous, mixed emotions, a little bit scared — I never really knew how addicted I was," she said.

"I'm feeling better about myself and I feel like I don't have to rely on my phone constantly."

There's more talking and less texting in the schoolyard. ( ABC Mid North Coast: Luisa Rubbo )

Another vice-captain, Edward Munro, said a lot of students would be on their phone in class and not interacting with each other and not doing their school work.

"Now they're really socialising with each and doing work," he said.

"I was on it during class time, not participating in work but now I'm really doing my work and listening to the teacher."

It had been a good experiment, school captain Caitlin Miller said.

"I really love it and everyone's interacting with each other — a lot of people are getting in trouble for talking now."

School captain Caitlin Miller says everyone is interacting better since the trial began. ( ABC Mid North Coast: Luisa Rubbo )

Flynn Warburton, also a school captain, said he was very surprised and excited to see the outcome of the experiment.

"It has a massive effect," he said.

He said he now left his phone at home because he did not use it or need it.

"I've seen around school that everyone is communicating with each other," he said.

Parents welcome initiative

Parent Luke, who has a couple of children at the school, said the pouches were a great idea and put the responsibility back on the children.

"I think it's a real opportunity for the teachers to get back to teaching and kids back to learning," he said.

He said he had seen some criticism on community pages.

"Lots of tantrums and very ingenious ways to try to unlock these pouches," he said.

"We would support any program that keeps kids off their phones during the class.

Some students are leaving their phones at home because they have no use for it at school. ( ABC News: Luisa Rubbo )

"I don't think it should be a trial, I just think it should be just put in place.

"I think it's been a resounding success so far and I've seen all the proof I need."