Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has issued a firm directive to all headteachers across England, demanding that schools implement comprehensive mobile phone bans that cover the entire school day, including break and lunch periods.
Complete Phone-Free Environment Mandated
In a formal letter distributed to educational leaders, Mrs Phillipson stated that schools must create fully phone-free environments where pupils cannot access their devices at any point during school hours. The guidance explicitly prohibits using smartphones as calculators or for research during lessons, marking a significant tightening of previous regulations.
Ofsted to Assess Compliance
The Education Secretary confirmed that Ofsted inspectors will now evaluate schools based on their ability to maintain phone-free environments, creating a new accountability measure for educational institutions. Additionally, teachers have been instructed to refrain from using their own phones in front of pupils to set appropriate examples.
Political Responses and Criticism
Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott criticised the announcement as "yet more guidance" that represents delay rather than decisive action. On social media platform X, she argued that "these changes to smartphone policy are nothing more than the status quo," highlighting ongoing debates about legislative approaches versus guidance-based solutions.
Previous Guidance and Current Proposals
While similar guidance was introduced under the Conservative government in 2024, Mrs Phillipson asserted that previous measures "did not deliver the clarity or consistency that schools need." Meanwhile, Conservative politicians continue advocating for legislation that would make smartphones illegal in schools entirely, rather than relying on guidance.
School Implementation Challenges
Recent government polling revealed significant implementation gaps, with only nine percent of secondary schools requiring pupils to hand in phones for the entire day, and a mere five percent enforcing complete bans. The majority—approximately seventy-five percent—allow students to keep phones but prohibit their use during lessons.
Educational professionals have consistently highlighted enforcement difficulties, noting the practical impossibility of monitoring every student continuously. Teachers report that inconsistent policies create confusion and undermine effective implementation across different classrooms and school areas.
Support from Educational Leaders
Tony McCabe, headteacher at St Joseph's High School in Horwich, Greater Manchester, welcomed the strengthened guidance, describing phones as "very destructive for young people during the school day." He told BBC Breakfast that his school already enforces a complete ban, citing concerns about "incredibly excessive" screen time affecting children's wellbeing and education.
Broader Context and Campaigns
The announcement coincides with several related developments:
- A three-month government consultation regarding potential social media bans for all under-sixteens across the United Kingdom
- Ongoing judicial review proceedings challenging the government's decision against legislating smartphone bans in schools
- Campaigner Flossie McShea, aged seventeen, revealing exposure to inappropriate content including pornography and violent material via phones during school hours
Parental and Union Perspectives
Esther Ghey, whose daughter Brianna was murdered by teenagers who accessed violent online content, described the guidance as "a step in the right direction" but argued that stronger measures are necessary to protect young people adequately.
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, expressed support for legislative action, stating that statutory measures would prevent conflicts between schools and parents regarding enforcement. He noted that "putting this on a statutory footing would be welcome" to provide clearer authority for educational institutions.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously questioned the necessity of new legislation, suggesting that most schools already implement phone restrictions voluntarily. However, the updated guidance seeks to standardise approaches and eliminate inconsistencies across the educational system.
