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Schools in England are to face tougher rules on mobile phones, with new guidance planned to ensure that children cannot have unsecured phones in their blazer or bag throughout the school day. The plan was announced on 10 November 2026, and the strengthened guidance is intended to come into force in September 2027.
The announcement builds on rules that are already in place. The Department for Education's guidance on mobile phones in schools became statutory on 29 June 2026, and schools have been expected to follow it from 1 September 2026. Under the current guidance, all schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default, with anything else allowed only as an exception. Pupils should not use phones at any point in the school day, including lessons, the time between lessons, break times and lunchtime.
The strengthened guidance goes further. It will say that schools should have policies ensuring that children cannot have unsecured mobile phones in their blazer or bag throughout the school day, closing a loophole that allows phones to be kept on the person even when they are not supposed to be used. The detail was not final when the plan was announced, but the direction is clear: the aim is for schools to be truly phone-free, with phones stored securely rather than carried around.
The guidance covers phones and other smart technology with similar functions, such as the ability to send or receive messages or to record audio or video, and it applies to state and independent schools in England. There are exceptions, chiefly for disability and medical need, such as continuous glucose monitoring for diabetes, and schools must still make reasonable adjustments for pupils who need them. Ofsted reviews phone policies during inspections, and the department has also published case studies showing how schools have created phone-free environments.
Supporters of the tougher approach argue that phones distract from learning, fuel bullying and social pressure, and make it harder for children to concentrate and to talk to each other. Critics say that schools should be trusted to set their own policies, and that a blanket approach may not suit every setting. For parents, the practical advice is to check their child's school policy, and to talk to the school if their child has a medical or other reason to need a phone during the day.
Source: Guardian SIM
