UK to enforce statutory ban on smartphones in all English schools

The UK government will introduce a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools across England, requiring all schools to prohibit student phone use throughout the school day. Education minister Jacqui Smith announced the move on Monday, telling the House of Lords that the government would table an amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill. The amendment will make existing non-statutory guidance a legal requirement. Ministers had previously resisted a statutory ban, arguing that most schools already prohibited phones voluntarily. Research from the children’s commissioner for England last year found that 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools already had policies limiting or restricting mobile phone use during school hours. “Notwithstanding the fact that we think the guidance we already have in place provides headteachers and schools with a range of approaches to be able to deliver the objective that we all share, we are committing to tabling an amendment in lieu which will place the existing guidance on a statutory footing on the face of the bill, creating a clear legal requirement for schools,” Smith said. The legislation is considered one of the most significant child protection measures in decades. It also includes proposals for a compulsory register for children not in school, a crackdown on profiteering in children’s social care, and a “single unique identifier” to help agencies track child welfare. Education unions offered mixed reactions to the statutory ban. Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “A statutory ban on mobile phones in schools doesn’t really change very much. Most schools already have policies in place under which pupils are not permitted to use mobile phones.” Di’Iasio added that funding for secure storage such as lockers or locked pouches would be more helpful than the legal requirement. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, welcomed the clarity the statutory guidance would provide. “Statutory guidance will give school leaders the clarity they need to implement a ban, and will remove any ambiguity or differences between how schools approach smartphone policies,” he said. The Liberal Democrats claimed credit for the policy shift, with a spokesperson saying: “We promised to put children’s wellbeing before party politics, and by dragging the government kicking and screaming to adopt our mobile phone ban in schools, the Liberal Democrats have delivered a major win for pupils, teachers, and families.”