LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The UK Government has strengthened mobile phone guidance for schools, denying students access to their phones during the school day.
Statutory guidance came into force in June, making schools and trusts legally responsible for being phone-free throughout the day.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said Tuesday that schools should go beyond 'not seen, not heard' - where phones may remain in pupils' bags - and adopt whole-school strategies that keep phones out of use and inaccessible throughout the school day.
'Children should not be using smartphones at any point during the school day. That's why we're strengthening our guidance to take the next leap towards truly phone-free schools,' Powell said.
'Schools are already leading the way. We're backing heads and teachers with a clear message for parents and pupils: school is for learning and friendship, not scrolling. Alongside our curriculum reforms, this is about making school unmissable - giving every child more chances to learn, connect and thrive' she added.
The complete ban of mobile phones during class hours will come into force from September 2027.
Some schools in UK are already putting stronger whole-school approaches into practice through lockable pouches, collection at the start of the day, secure storage or prohibiting phones onsite altogether.
Caty Reid, Headteacher of Clayton Hall Academy, said, 'At Clayton Hall Academy, we introduced providing every student in Years 7 to 11 with their own pouch. Phones are switched off and locked away on arrival, then unlocked at the end of the school day.'
'Since introducing the approach, we have seen students playing and talking together more, and staff have reported better engagement in lessons. Attendance has also improved, and we have seen fewer incidents of hurtful behaviour online. Those everyday moments of conversation and friendship are an important part of school life.'
The new phone guidance comes as the government embarks on major reforms to ensure no child is left behind and make school unmissable. Based on all the latest evidence from PISA to Milburn, the reforms will strengthen reading, writing, speaking and listening, and numeracy, restore a full three-year Key Stage 3 and make more time for enrichment.
Access to mobile phones risks pulling children away from their learning and from each other. Evidence shows phones can cause distraction and disruption in lessons, making it harder for pupils to focus and engage with learning.
A Polling published in March found that 40 percent of children aged 9-16 were turning down real-world opportunities to spend time online. The latest PISA evidence also found a significant international decline in reading and maths performance, alongside growing concerns about digital distraction.
And the problem goes beyond the classroom. The Milburn review interim report warned that disengagement can begin as early as 12 or 13 years old, with students saying they stayed up as late as 3 AM scrolling on their phones.
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