Eton College imposes strict iPad curbs following parent complaints

Eton College has introduced a series of stringent controls on school-issued tablets following persistent complaints from families, altering the daily routine for the institution's newest intake of pupils, which includes Prince George, as reported by Aol.

The Berkshire boarding school drew up fresh guidance for first-year pupils to sharply curtail how and when they may use their devices. Under the revised rules, boys are restricted to browsing through a purpose-built secure browser, limited to an approved white list of websites vetted by their teachers, according to Aol. The policy overhaul, uncovered through reporting by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, follows complaints from parents that pupils were using tablets for gaming and unrestricted internet access during lessons and homework time.

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In a joint intervention, over 100 parents collectively wrote to the school's provost, Sir Nicholas Coleridge, and senior leadership in December 2024 to express profound dissatisfaction with the existing device and internet policy. The letter, obtained by TBIJ and shared with The Telegraph, argued that the school's approach was failing the boys by allowing them to game and gain access to the internet on their school-issued iPads both in class and while completing homework unsupervised in their bedrooms. Parents contended that the situation was damaging pupils' learning and mental health, citing clear evidence of harm to a significant number of boys due to screen addiction. Furthermore, reporting by The Blast noted that guardians specifically complained that some students were even using their iPads to gamble because of unfettered internet access.

The parental coalition demanded that the school strip out browser access entirely and permit Wi-Fi connectivity only for email, Microsoft Teams, and school-sanctioned applications. They concluded that the previous iPad policy amounted to a failure in the school's duty of care and safeguarding, urging immediate reform before more vulnerable boys suffered damage.

Responding to the mounting pressure, Mike Grenier, Eton's deputy head, contacted the families of incoming pupils to outline the substantially tightened regime. His letter confirmed that boys would continue to receive school iPads for academic purposes, but the devices would now connect exclusively to a dedicated network named Eton-Learning. During their opening weeks, pupils have access only to a restricted selection of Microsoft 365 applications, with white-list browser access phased in from October onwards. Meanwhile, the overnight device ban enforced since 2018 remains firmly in place, requiring devices to be handed in and collected again at 7am the next morning.

Prince George began his time at the all-boys institution founded by King Henry VI on 8 September, arriving for his first day alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales, according to The Blast. His parents have previously disclosed that they restrict their children's time in front of screens and that none of their three children own mobile phones. The Princess of Wales penned a forceful essay cautioning parents against using phones during family mealtimes, arguing that device dependency fuels an epidemic of distraction. Alongside technology adjustments, the young prince must navigate traditional school customs, including addressing his teachers by the historical moniker "beak."

Eton College told The Telegraph that it is firmly committed to online safety, digital literacy, and striking an appropriate balance in technology use across its boarding community. A spokesman added that clear, well-established processes exist for responding to concerns raised by pupils, parents, or staff, stating that any suggestion of disregarded screen concerns is incorrect.