A Macclesfield principal has called for an end to the 'chaos' caused by social media.

Manny Botwe, headteacher at Tytherington School and board member at Macclesfield College, has been speaking at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual conference.

As the president of the ASCL, Mr Botwe took the opportunity to call on social media platforms to do more to protect both children and school staff online.

He said: "Today's young people face challenges that are vastly different from those of previous generations.

"Their world is shaped by smartphones, social media, memes, and influencers – forces that shape their identities, interactions, and even their mental wellbeing.

"This technology has brought incredible benefits, connecting people across continents, fostering creativity, and expanding access to knowledge. But as we all know, it has a darker side."

Mr Botwe continued: "It leaves a trail of harm – safeguarding concerns, fractured friendships, bullying, anxiety, and the spread of extremist ideologies. And increasingly, it is being weaponised against schools and teachers, with disgruntled parents using it as a platform to target staff.

"This chaos must end. For too long, tech billionaires have been given immense power without accountability. They hide behind the defence that they are champions of free speech while profiting from platforms that allow harm to fester."

Manny Botwe is headteacher of Tytherington School

Ahead of the ASCL Conference in Liverpool, a survey conducted by Teacher Tapp asked teachers and school leaders in England what social media-related issues they had noticed since the start of the academic year.

Nearly three-quarters of secondary school teachers (73%) reported that students had been bullied by peers on social media, with a similar figure (71%) saying students were using social media below the minimum age requirement.

Additionally, almost half (46%) said students had recorded staff or other pupils without permission and nearly a third of secondary school teachers had noticed signs of students having accessed pornographic or violent content.

Furthermore, four in ten (43%) of teachers across primary and secondary schools said that parents made negative comments about their school or staff online.

Speaking at the conference on Friday (March 14), Mr Botwe said: "Enough is enough. It is time to bring these platforms to heel and force them to police their own spaces.

"While we welcome the Online Safety Act we have yet to see its protections come into force or how effective they prove in practice.

"As a society, we have the right to demand the protection of our children, the enforcement of decency, and the upholding of standards.

"That right must be asserted."

Mr Botwe's speech covered other topics, including changes to the Ofsted framework, education funding, and the introduction of breakfast clubs.

He also reflected on a decade as headteacher of Tytherington School, saying he still has that 'same belief in the power of education'.

"Every two years, we take a whole-school photo. You can imagine the challenge of fitting everyone in. As headteacher, I'm the last piece of the puzzle, standing at the back, looking out across the entire school," he said.

"And in that moment, it really hits you – the sheer diversity of young lives we serve. In front of me are students destined for Oxford and Cambridge; future doctors, lawyers, and scientists; future shopkeepers, web designers, and engineers – each carving their own path.

"And alongside them are students who struggle to read and write, some even at risk of two crossing paths with the criminal justice system.

"Yet all of them deserve the same opportunities to thrive. Every single one of them has potential.

"Every single one of them deserves the best possible start in life.

"That is our duty and our privilege – not just to equip them with knowledge, but to shape them into good people.

"Young people with empathy, a sense of community, and a love of place. Because education isn't just about grades. It's about shaping futures."