In a bid to improve attention and outcomes, students in England will no longer be able to use their phones on school premises.
The UK government has announced it will introduce a legal ban on smartphones in schools in England.
Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith confirmed the move in the House of Lords, stating that the government would table an amendment to its Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, creating a clear legal requirement for schools to keep phones away from pupils.
A phone-free learning environment
Earlier this year, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson wrote to schools encouraging them to follow guidance making the school day entirely phone-free. The new amendment puts that guidance on a statutory footing, meaning schools will be legally obliged to follow it — rather than simply being encouraged to do so.
The government has moved away from one option previously included in its guidance. This was the so-called “not seen, not heard” approach, where phones were permitted as long as they remained switched off and out of sight in a bag. That option has now been removed. Some schools have already gone further by investing in storage lockers or magnetically sealed pouches to keep devices out of reach entirely.
Agreement across the political divide
The announcement has drawn cautious praise from across the political spectrum.
Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott welcomed the news as “fantastic” for headteachers, parents and pupils, but noted that Labour had previously dismissed calls for a ban as “an unnecessary gimmick.” The Liberal Democrats, meanwhile, called on ministers to ensure schools receive adequate funding and support to manage the transition.
Funding is a concern shared by school leaders. Storage solutions are costly but will be necessary to enforce the ban and the head of the Association of School and College Leaders called on the government to make funding available for this extra expense.
What about the rest of the UK?
Education is devolved, so policies vary. Scotland introduced guidance permitting headteacher-led bans in 2024. Wales gives individual heads the power to restrict devices. Northern Ireland has just concluded a phone-free pilot in nine schools, with the findings due in June. England’s new legislation would be the most prescriptive approach of the four nations.
Ofsted inspections will begin monitoring schools’ mobile phone policies from April.
References
- Phones to be banned in schools by law in England under government plans. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y7vd6gpq1o (Accessed 21 April 2026)
