England to ban pupils from accessing phones during school hours

The UK government has announced stricter mobile phone rules for schools in England.

The new restrictions will prevent pupils from accessing their phones during the school day and are expected to take effect in September 2027.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said the government’s position was that “school is for learning and friendship, not scrolling”.

The existing “no see, no hear” policy allows pupils to keep their phones in their bags, provided they are not seen or heard. However, the revised guidance goes beyond this approach by requiring schools to prevent pupils from accessing their phones throughout the school day.

To enforce the restrictions, some schools have invested in sealed pouches or secure lockers, while others collect phones at the start of the day or prohibit pupils from bringing them onto school premises altogether.

While some school leaders have welcomed the stricter guidance, others have raised concerns about the funding required to implement the policy.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said phones could raise “safety issues” and be an “unhelpful distraction” during the school day. However, he warned that the more robust measures recommended under the new guidance would “come at a cost”.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the latest guidance “does at least provide some clarity”, but added that school leaders “cannot simply make mobile phones disappear”.

“If all schools are going to be expected to have lockable pouches or other secure storage facilities for every pupil, the cost involved will be very significant indeed,” he said.

Responding to questions about funding, Ms Powell told BBC Breakfast that she wanted headteachers to have the autonomy to implement the policies that work best for their schools.