The UK government has announced tougher rules on the use of mobile phones in schools in England. From September 2027, pupils will not be allowed access to their phones throughout the entire school day.
As the UK government explains, the changes are intended to help pupils focus better on their studies and spend more time interacting face to face with classmates, rather than through smartphone screens. The new requirements will replace the guidance in force from September 2026, which urged schools to become “mobile phone-free zones” but did not set out a single procedure for introducing such rules.
Previously, schools in England chose their own approach: some used special sealed pouches or lockers to store phones, others collected them from pupils in the morning or banned bringing phones onto school premises altogether. Despite this, according to a Department for Education survey, only 16% of secondary school pupils surveyed said the rules on phones were always enforced.
The government now stresses that schools in England must ensure that pupils have no access at all to mobile phones during the school day, and that the updated guidance should give headteachers clearer direction on tougher measures. England’s Education Secretary Lucy Powell said the government wanted to send a “clear signal”: school is a place for learning and friendship, not for endlessly scrolling through your phone.
The rules on using mobile phones in schools differ across the UK. The Scottish government plans to pass a new law that will restrict personal use of phones in schools, and has already held a public consultation. In Wales, politicians recently rejected a proposal to introduce a nationwide legal ban on phones in classrooms, leaving headteachers free to set their own rules, although they are advised to minimise the use of gadgets. In Northern Ireland, Education Minister Paul Givan launched a 12-week consultation in August to determine whether mobile phones should be banned in schools by law.
The updated plans for England have prompted mixed reactions. England’s Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, backed the move, saying decisive action was needed to stop phones distracting pupils and disrupting lessons. Opposition spokesperson and Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott of the Conservative Party also called the decision the right one and linked it to a broader review of the safe use of technology in schools.
At the same time, some school leaders warn that introducing tougher rules could require significant funding. Pepe Di’Iasio, representing the Association of School and College Leaders, said the new guidance provided some clarity, but heads could not “just make phones disappear”. According to him, if schools are expected to provide lockable pouches or other secure storage for every pupil, the costs will be very substantial and the government will need to provide additional funding.