Education Secretary Lucy Powell described the government’s “clear message” as one where school is for “learning and friendship, not scrolling.” She stated that access to phones “risks pulling children away from their learning and from each other,” and that children should not be using smartphones at any point during the school day. The DfE noted that while most schools currently state phones should not be seen or heard, a June survey found that only 16% of secondary pupils say these rules are followed consistently.
School leaders’ unions have warned that the new requirements will impose significant financial burdens on institutions. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders union, said that while phones can be a distraction, robust measures like lockable pouches or secure lockers “come at a cost.” Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), added that it is “not feasible” for all schools to provide secure storage for every pupil without the government providing the required funding. He emphasized that school leaders “cannot simply make mobile phones disappear” without adequate resources.
The policy shift comes amid a review of safety standards for educational technology, or “EdTech,” following warnings from over 150 clinicians about a “crisis” in children’s physical and developmental health linked to screen-based learning. Education Minister Paul Waugh previously described the current landscape of EdTech in schools as a “wild west.” The DfE is also launching a consultation to explore independent safety certification for educational technology to provide confidence to parents and schools.
However, a University College London (UCL) report published on Tuesday, the day the initial statutory ban came into force, argued that outright bans are “overly simplistic” and viewed as “punitive” by young people. The study, which surveyed 732 secondary school students, 27 teachers, and 41 parents, found a sharp generational divide: 87% of teachers and 88% of parents supported blanket bans, while 75% of pupils disagreed. Students reported that phones are essential for safety, communication, and daily organization, warning that bans could drive issues like cyberbullying “underground” and undermine trust between students and adults.
The approach to mobile phones in schools varies across the UK due to devolution. In Scotland, the government is consulting on new laws to restrict personal phone use. In Wales, the Senedd recently voted against a national statutory ban, leaving flexibility to individual school heads. In Northern Ireland, Education Minister Paul Givan launched a 12-week consultation in August on whether to ban mobile phones by law. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott criticized the government for a lack of “joined up thinking” regarding new technology in classrooms, despite welcoming the ban itself.
