NSW study: high schoolers use screens 4x longer than parents allow
High school students use screens recreationally for 72 to 85 minutes daily, far exceeding parents' recommended 19 to 33 minutes.
A NSW Department of Education study surveyed 1,057 students, 914 teachers and 1,686 parents from August to November 2025. Researchers also observed 68 classrooms in 20 public schools.
When used for learning, screens serve clear purposes: research, writing, instruction and practice. Students stayed focused on their tasks 90% of the time in observed lessons.
Recreational use told a different story. Primary school students' gaming and social media use stayed below parents' recommended limits.
High school students' recreational screen time jumped sharply: Year 7-8 students averaged 72 minutes daily, while Year 11-12 students averaged 85 minutes daily. Parents surveyed thought 19 to 33 minutes daily was appropriate for recreation, depending on their child's age.
- August to November 2025
- Survey period
- 1,057
- Students surveyed
- 85 minutes
- Year 11-12 daily recreational use
- 19 to 33 minutes daily
- Parents' recommended recreation time
Why it mattersThe gap suggests Australian schools need new strategies to help high school students limit recreational screen use.
AustraliaNSW and other Australian states are now weighing screen limits in schools, and this research directly informs whether those policies match what students actually do.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
