Mobile phones in school - Guidance for schools on prohibiting phones during the school day.
The DFE has released guidance on how to prohibit mobile phones in school. The guidance outlines the process for creating, executing, and upholding a policy that forbids the usage of mobile phones within school premises. It should be referenced alongside the following guidance:
School behaviour
Keeping children safe in education
Find below a summary of the guidance as well as the associated documents.
Every school must establish a safe, secure, and focused learning environment for all students, regardless of their backgrounds, to excel. Mobile phones pose a significant challenge to this goal, as nearly all 12-year-olds (97%) now own one. They introduce the risk of unnecessary distraction, disruption, and diversion in classrooms, with one-third of secondary school students reporting unauthorised phone use in most lessons. This not only hampers the individual's learning but also disrupts the entire class and detracts from teachers' teaching efforts.
Children today navigate a multifaceted world both online and offline, offering abundant opportunities alongside challenges. Schools can foster safe and focused learning environments by banning mobile phones, ensuring all students receive the education they merit.
The guidance emphasises the importance of achieving clarity and consistency in school practices, supporting headteachers and leaders, and empowering staff to act confidently. It aligns with existing guidance on behaviour in schools and recently updated guidelines on teaching online safety in the curriculum. Additionally, it provides support and training materials for schools to deliver comprehensive relationships, sex, and health education, particularly focusing on using technology safely and addressing online harms.
This non-statutory guidance complements the behaviour in schools guidance, aiding schools in creating peaceful, secure, and supportive learning environments conducive to teaching and ensuring child safety. However, it's important to note that this guidance does not encompass all legal requirements and should not replace relevant legislation.
Who is the guidance for?
This guidance is intended for a wide range of educational stakeholders in England, including school leaders, staff, governing bodies, and proprietors across various types of schools such as maintained schools, academies, free schools, non-maintained special schools, and independent schools. It also applies to local authorities. The term "maintained school" includes various types of schools, while "academy" encompasses academy schools and alternative provision academies. Additionally, the term "schools" encompasses all types of schools, including maintained, non-maintained, or independent schools, as well as maintained nursery schools and pupil referral units.
Prohibiting the use of mobile phones in school
As part of the schools behaviour policy, schools are advised to create a mobile phone policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones and other smart devices with similar capabilities, such as sending/receiving notifications or messages and recording audio/video, throughout the entire school day. This includes lessons, transitions between lessons, break times, and lunchtime.
In schools with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs aimed at facilitating the use of laptops or tablets for educational purposes, these devices should adhere to the school's specific BYOD policy and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) acceptable use policy. However, it's important to note that BYOD policies should not encompass the use of mobile phones.
Boarding schools and residential schools are advised to enforce a ban on mobile phone usage during the teaching day. Additionally, they should establish policies regarding mobile phone usage for the remainder of students' time at school, ensuring these policies safeguard and promote the welfare of the children.
Schools are encouraged to assess whether sixth form students should be allowed limited access to their mobile phones at specific times and locations, recognising this phase of education as one characterised by increased independence and responsibility. This allowance should be implemented without undermining the school's overall policy on mobile phone usage for other students.
Developing a policy
A school's policy regarding the prohibition of mobile phone usage can either be integrated into its behaviour policy or exist as a separate document. It should be easily accessible, consistent with the school's culture, and straightforward to understand and adhere to. The implementation of this policy should assist all students in meeting the behaviour expectations regarding mobile phones. School leaders are responsible for creating and enforcing a policy tailored to their school's unique context and requirements, considering factors such as the age and needs of their students.
The following are examples, but this is not an exhaustive list:
No mobile phones on the school premises
Mobile phone handed in on arrival
Mobile phones kept in secure location, which the pupil does not access throughout the school day
Never used, seen or heard
Communicating the policy to pupils and parents
Effective communication of the school's behaviour policy, which includes the prohibition of mobile phone usage, is crucial for fostering and preserving the school's culture while making expectations clear to everyone involved. School leaders must ensure that all staff, students, and parents are well-acquainted with the policy and its implementation procedures.
The role of staff
All staff members are expected to uniformly implement the school's policy regarding mobile phone usage. Exceptions may be in place for instance to issue homework, issue rewards and sanctions.
The role of pupils
It's important for all students to understand the school's policy prohibiting mobile phone use. They should receive reminders of this policy, including its consequences and sanctions for non-compliance, at the beginning of each school year and periodically thereafter as needed.
Students should receive education on the risks associated with mobile phone use, both within the school environment and beyond, to ensure they comprehend the rationale behind their school's decision to prohibit mobile phone usage throughout the school day.
The role of parents
Parents play a significant role in supporting the school's policy against mobile phone usage and should be prompted to reinforce and discuss this policy at home with their children. Parents wishing to contact pupils during the school day should make contact via the school office.
The use of sanctions
The Department for Education (DfE) offers guidance on lawful sanction usage in schools, including for breaches of mobile phone policies. Schools have the discretion to employ various sanctions, such as confiscation and detentions, suitable to their circumstances. They possess the authority to confiscate mobile phones as a disciplinary measure, with staff protected by the law from liability for any loss or damage to confiscated items, provided they act lawfully. Staff should assess the proportionality of confiscation and consider any pertinent special circumstances. The DFE supports headteachers in confiscating mobile phones and similar devices for a duration they consider proportionate.
Searching pupils
Headteachers, or staff they designate, possess a statutory authority to search a student or their belongings if they have reasonable grounds to suspect possession of a prohibited item outlined in legislation or identified in the school rules as searchable.
Adaptations and reasonable adjustments
Schools should enforce a ban on mobile phone use during the school day to minimize distraction and disruption, while still fulfilling obligations such as making reasonable adjustments when necessary. In certain exceptional circumstances, schools may need to consider adapting their policy for specific students, this includes students with disabilities and medical needs.
The use of mobile phones outside the school day
Schools should establish their approach to managing student mobile phone use during residential trips or activities outside regular school hours. They must ensure that the educational experience on these trips remains undisturbed by mobile phone usage and may opt to prohibit or limit their use accordingly. If schools decide to completely ban mobile phones from their premises, they should assess the impact on students' safety during travel to and from school. It's recommended that schools consult with parents to develop such policies, addressing concerns and gaining support for the chosen approach.
Schools must stay attentive to online safety risks and incorporate online safety considerations into all relevant school policies.
The full guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phones-in-schools
Creating a mobile free school environment document can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65cf5f644239310011b7b917/Creating_a_mobile_phone-free_school_environment.pdf
This document provides guidance for schools on establishing a mobile phone-free environment.
Mobile phones in schools: toolkit for schools:
This toolkit offers resources and guidance to assist schools in communicating their mobile phone prohibition policy to both parents and students. It should be used in conjunction with the mobile phones in schools guidance and the behaviour in schools guidance, ensuring consistency with the school's overall behaviour management approach.
Facts and figures to support discussions with parents
By the age of 12, 97% of children own a mobile phone
The majority (63%) of 8-11-year-olds use social media and messaging apps, rising to 93% for children between 12 and 15 years old
The National Behaviour Survey (2021-2022) found that 29% of secondary school pupils (rising to 40% for key stage 4 pupils) reported mobile phones being used without permission in most of their lessons
Mobile phones have already been prohibited or restricted in one in four countries worldwide
Screen time can displace positive activities
One in five children have experienced bullying online
Three in ten pupils cite making and maintaining friendships and their mental health as a cause of worry, anxiety or depression
Ways to communicate with parents about mobile phones
Schools should actively involve parents in decision-making processes. While banning mobile phones at school won't eradicate all associated risks, transparent communication about these risks and the advantages of phone-free time can assist parents in regulating their child's mobile phone usage outside of school.
Introducing or amending a mobile phone policy
Headteachers are responsible for determining the optimal implementation of the mobile phone policy within their school and managing specific cases accordingly. Securing parental support is crucial for successful policy implementation. The following tips can aid schools in effectively introducing a new policy on mobile phone usage.
consulting parents and pupils ensure all pupils and parents are informed well in advance use trial days and weeks use a variety of methods of communication explain the benefits of prohibiting the use of mobile phones communicate directly with parents of pupils who may need a reasonable adjustment
Case studies for prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools (full document can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65cf77340f4eb10011a98191/Mobile_phones_in_schools_-_case_studies.pdf) Summary of 2 case studies below:
Primary School
Pupils are generally not permitted to bring mobile phones to school, except for older students whose parents require them for their short commute. In such cases, phones must be turned off and handed to the class teacher at the start of the day, stored in a locked cupboard, and returned when leaving. An exception is made for a student managing diabetes, who is allowed a phone with necessary health apps, closely monitored by a trained teacher/First Aider.
The school complements its mobile phone policy with ongoing education on safe social media use, integrated into the curriculum and assemblies. Parental support is provided through a weekly blog offering advice on safeguarding and online safety measures. Additionally, short online safety sessions are delivered before school events, ensuring consistent communication on the importance of online safety.
Consistent and simple messaging reinforces the importance of online safety throughout the school community.
Secondary School
The school has a zero-tolerance policy regarding mobile phones, strictly enforced from the outset. Students are not permitted to bring phones to school or carry them to/from school. This policy is communicated clearly during open events, transition days, and term commencements. Parents must sign a family-academy contract outlining the prohibition of mobile phones at school and the associated consequences. This clear stance minimises unnecessary discussions with parents and students, ensuring that sanctions for phone possession are reasonable and understood.
The school allows exemptions to its mobile phone policy only in very exceptional circumstances, following careful planning and professional recommendation. For instance, a pupil may be permitted a mobile phone during school hours due to serious safeguarding concerns, as recommended by a social worker. Another example is a student with type 1 diabetes using a mobile phone solely for monitoring glucose levels, with limited functionality and only necessary applications installed.
The policy is enforced through regular spot checks of bags with students' consent. Parents are notified each time a bag is checked, regardless of whether a mobile phone is found. If a phone is discovered during a search or otherwise, it may be confiscated until the end of term, and the student receives a one-hour detention. If a phone disrupts class, nearby bags are searched unless a student takes responsibility, which occurs infrequently. The phone is returned at term's end after discussing with parents, with the SIM card returned earlier if necessary.
On average, one mobile phone is confiscated per week, with increased vigilance if students are seen using phones outside school. While the school effectively protects students from in-school phone risks, it acknowledges the need to address pastoral issues arising from online behaviour outside school.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phones-in-schools
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