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Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has called for all schools in England to adopt phone-free policies throughout the entire school day. In a letter exclusively obtained by the BBC, she emphasized that mobile phones should not be used during lessons, including for functions like calculators or research, nor during break and lunch times. Phillipson also confirmed that Ofsted will be monitoring how schools enforce their mobile phone policies in upcoming inspections. Additionally, teachers are being advised to avoid using their phones in front of pupils.
While previous guidance on mobile phone use at schools was issued by the Conservative government in February 2024, Phillipson criticized it for lacking the clarity and consistency schools require. Her letter highlights recent government measures to strengthen this guidance, making it explicitly clear that pupils should not use their phones in school. This development coincides closely with the government’s announcement of a three-month consultation considering a ban on social media use for all under-16s in the UK. The Education Secretary has invited teachers to share their professional perspectives on the matter.
Reactions from teaching unions have been mixed, particularly regarding Ofsted’s role in enforcing phone policies. The National Association of Head Teachers’ general secretary, Paul Whiteman, argued that school leaders require support rather than heavy-handed inspection tactics. The Association of School and College Leaders described the government’s response to online risks for children as slow. Research conducted by Teacher Tapp shows that while 86% of primary school teachers can use their phones for personal reasons during breaks, 44% of secondary school teachers have more freedom to use their phones during the school day. However, only 2% of teachers in both sectors reported an outright ban on staff phone use during school hours.
It is worth noting that while the UK-wide social media consultation covers all nations in the UK, the phone-use guidance applies exclusively to England due to education being a devolved responsibility. In Wales, the government stated last year that an outright ban on phones is not advisable, preferring to allow schools to create and enforce their own rules. Similarly, in Northern Ireland, Education Minister Paul Givan has encouraged schools to limit pupils’ phone usage and supported campaigns discouraging parents from buying smartphones for children before age 14. In Scotland, schools receive government advice on regulating phone use in a way that suits their individual contexts, such as requiring phones to be handed in before lessons or restricting use on school trips
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