The UK government has announced plans to legally prohibit smartphone use in schools across England, marking a significant shift in educational policy. Education Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith revealed that an amendment will be added to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, creating a statutory requirement for schools to implement phone-free environments.
"This amendment creates a clear legal requirement for schools regarding mobile phone policies," stated Baroness Smith during a House of Lords session.
The Department for Education emphasized that this move formalizes existing practices, as most schools already restrict phone usage. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson had previously urged schools to adopt comprehensive bans earlier this year, with the new legislation giving that guidance legal weight.
Conservative education spokesperson Laura Trott welcomed the development, calling it "fantastic news for headteachers, parents and pupils across the country" that would improve classroom behavior and academic performance.
The legislation removes the previous "not seen, not heard" option from guidance, requiring phones to be completely inaccessible during school hours. Some institutions have already implemented solutions like lockers or magnetically sealed pouches for device storage.
Liberal Democrat education representative Caroline Voaden cautioned that "schools must receive adequate support and funding to manage this transition effectively."
Pepe Di'Iasio of the Association of School and College Leaders noted that while legal backing provides clarity, "what would really be helpful is government funding for secure phone storage solutions." He further emphasized the need for broader action against social media harms that occur outside school hours.
Mobile phone policies will become part of Ofsted inspections starting in April, with the government describing the broader bill as "the biggest piece of child safeguarding legislation in decades."
Approaches vary across the UK's devolved nations: Scotland introduced guidance allowing headteacher-imposed bans in 2024, Welsh schools can implement restrictions at their discretion, and Northern Ireland recently concluded a pilot program in nine schools with results expected in June.