EE is offering families free half-hour online safety appointments in its stores throughout September, as new research shows parents, teachers and pupils all expect a summer of heavy screen use to disrupt the return to school.

The mobile network's "Parents' Evening" sessions will give parents one-to-one time with trained store staff to set up parental controls, review app settings and talk through online safety concerns, as millions of children head back to class this week.

The move comes as EE research finds 87% of secondary school teachers have seen pupils' concentration spans shorten in recent years, while 85% say issues originating online — from group chat fallouts to late-night scrolling — are routinely disrupting lessons. Two in five teachers (39%) say re-establishing phone rules in the first weeks of term is harder than at any other point in the year.

The pressure is being felt at home too. Nearly three-quarters of pupils (72%) say smartphones and social media led to arguments with their parents over the summer, and 34% of parents say the return to school adds further strain as children readjust after heavier screen use. More than half of parents (55%) say the pace of technological change makes it hard to know whether they're setting the right rules, and 52% say dedicated sessions on children's online safety would help.

Smartphone ownership is now near-universal among secondary pupils, with 93% expected to carry one into school this week, according to the research.

Educating Yorkshire's Matthew Burton on board

EE has worked with Matthew Burton, headteacher of Thornhill Community Academy and star of Channel 4's Educating Yorkshire, alongside teachers nationwide, to produce a free "homework sheet" — a ten-minute exercise designed to help parents start conversations about device use and set up controls before term begins.

"Establishing good routines after a long summer holiday is crucial," Burton said. "We often see pupils come back to school after six weeks of relative freedom online and land with a bump at their school desk. For teachers, a lot of the first half of term is spent getting pupils to shake those bad habits and refocus on their studies."

He added: "This isn't about demonising parents for letting kids use smart devices; with the right guardrails they can be an invaluable resource. But as a parent myself I know that the conversations that make the biggest difference happen at the kitchen table, so I wanted this homework sheet to give parents some genuinely useful tips."

Sessions run all term

The free appointments are bookable online, in-store or by phone from today, with EE saying 36,000 hours of sessions will be available in its stores throughout September. The sessions will continue to be offered through the academic year, with EE suggesting parents book a refresher each term.

Claire Gillies, CEO of BT's Consumer Division, said: "The digital world brings huge opportunities for young people, but it can also be a source of anxiety for parents. As a parent of a teenager myself, I understand those challenges firsthand. That's why we're committed to giving families practical support and trusted advice when they need it most."

Confusion over looming social media ban

The research also points to confusion around the government's planned social media ban for under-16s, due to take effect from spring 2027. While 70% of parents welcome the move, 60% worry it will be difficult to enforce — concerns borne out by the data: 44% of 11-15 year-olds due to be affected say they've already discussed workarounds with peers, and 56% of 11-17 year-olds expect to switch to different apps once the ban takes hold.

One in six parents (16%) mistakenly believe the ban is already in force this week — a misconception EE warns could leave up to a million young people unsupervised online.

Rachel Huggins, chief executive of Internet Matters, said the start of term was "an ideal opportunity for families to reset digital habits and expectations together," adding: "Conversations and controls go hand in hand, and together they can help children enjoy the benefits of the digital world safely and confidently."

Appointments can be booked at ee.co.uk/store-finder or in any EE store; the homework sheet is available to download here.