St Edward’s School (‘Teddies’) in Woodstock Road has extended its mobile phone restrictions to its Year 11 students as well as Year 9 and Year 10.

As such the 16-year-olds will no longer be allowed their phones at any time during the week, with daytime access to them at weekends.

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This followed a recent survey of pupils which said that four in five feel happy ‘all or most of the time’ compared to three in five before the first phone restrictions were introduced in 2022.

Alastair Chirnside, warden (headteacher), said: “This year’s pupil survey has put into numbers what we have been seeing and feeling for a long time: that Teddies pupils are leading more enriched and less distracted lives without their phones throughout the week.

Alastair Chirnside, headmaster of St Edward’s School (Image: St Edward’s School)

“While we know that extending restrictions even further won’t be universally popular with teenagers, last month’s pupil survey has quite clearly demonstrated that, when asked in private, many children are in fact thankful to be given clear rules on phone usage.

“From comments in the survey, it is clear that many children even feel a sense of relief that the burden of moderating their phone use has been lifted from them.”

Pupils at St Edward’s School (Teddies) in Woodstock Road, Oxford (Image: St Edward’s School)

Restrictions have also been extended in the sixth form with the upper sixth now following the lower sixth in only having access to phones after lessons, before handing them in at 10pm each evening.

The school has 817 pupils with 644 responding to the anonymous survey carried out last month.

Almost half said they were spending more time talking to friends, with 32 per cent noting they were working harder and 19 per cent saying they were spending more time reading.

Pupils at St Edward’s School (Teddies) in Woodstock Road, Oxford (Image: St Edward’s School)

One pupil said: “I believe the no-phone policy has been really beneficial at this school for helping friendships and hobbies grow.”

Another added: “I completely agree with it, and I think it’s an incredible way to relieve tensions and build friendships quicker in the earlier years of school.”

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In addition, Teddies has revealed that – in contrast to wider societal trends – it re-introduced landline phones last September, after 15 years without them.

This was part of an overhaul about its mobile phone rules to enable pupils’ contact with their homes, family and friends.

Pupils also have access to Nokia ‘brick’ phones in their boarding houses, and to WhatsApp, Teams and Zoom at certain times through the school’s monitored network, using laptop computers which are managed by the school’s IT department. 

The award-winning drama features famous faces including Doctor Who star David Tennant, Poldark’s Aidan Turner and former EastEnders actor Danny Dyer.

Set in the 1980s amid the backdrop of the Cotswolds countryside, it follows the high-stakes world of British television as careers, marriages and reputations hang by a thread when professional and personal lives collide.

The second series, which received an extended run of 12 episodes, has received widespread acclaim from both critics and the public.

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It depicts the ruthless world of independent television in 1986, and follows a rivalry between Lord Tony Baddingham (Tennant) and former MP Rupert Campbell-Black, played by TV and theatre star Alex Hassell.

The mid-season finale aired earlier this month and shocked viewers with the death of a fan-favourite character, while a further six episodes will be released later this year.

Dame Jilly was an active part of the show’s production and served as an executive producer.

In October last year, during filming for the second series, she died unexpectedly aged 88 after suffering injuries from a fall at home.

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Dominic Treadwell-Collins, chief creative officer of Happy Prince, and Alexander Lamb, Happy Prince’s creative director, said: “We’ve been delighted and overwhelmed by the audience’s response to season two of Rivals – testament to the hard work from everyone working on Rivals both on and off screen.

“Our one sadness is that Jilly didn’t get to witness the love for season two.

“But she’s still very much with us in spirit and would be so delighted that season three has been greenlit.

“We’re so thrilled to continue to work with Disney as we dive deeper into the Rutshire Chronicles and expand the Cooperverse even further.”

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Lee Mason, vice-president, Scripted, Disney+ EMEA, added: “The phenomenal response to Rivals is a credit to the bold, irreverent and endlessly entertaining world created by Dame Jilly Cooper, our cast, creative team and production partners at Happy Prince.

“We’re delighted to be bringing audiences a third season on Disney+/Hulu.

“Expect more ambition, more romance, more rivalries and, of course, more scandal as we return to Rutshire for another irresistible chapter.”

The second half of Rivals series two will air in November on Disney+ in the UK and internationally, and on Hulu in the US.

Further details about the third season are yet to be revealed.

Ken Wright, 85, was driving his black Ford Puma on the A44 past Enstone, near Chipping Norton, when he died in a crash on July 9 last year.

His 77-year-old wife Vanessa, who was also in the car, died days later in hospital in Oxford on July 17.

A grey Audi A3, a grey Jaguar XE, a black Ford Puma and a grey Seat Leon were all involved in the smash.

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Their inquest was listed to take place on June 17, but the Oxfordshire coroner service has since confirmed this did not happen because it was an ‘out of file review’ so no final inquest was held.

An out of court file review, or inquest in writing, allows a coroner to review evidence and conclude an inquest solely on written documents.

Ken Wright performing in 2016 (Image: Bev Pegg)

It avoids a formal courtroom hearing and bypasses the need for witnesses or family members to attend in person.

Police have also closed their investigation into the crash and declined to provide further information about the circumstances.

Mr Wright, aged 85, was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, and played in jazz bands before joining rock group Cliff Ward and The Cruisers in the 1960s.

He also performed drums on the albums of the late songwriter Clifford T Ward.