[England Schools to Enforce Strict Ban on Phones in Bags and Pockets]
Under stricter government guidance in England, pupils will be prohibited from having phones with them at any time during the school day.
Statutory guidance enacted in June holds schools and trusts legally accountable for maintaining a phone-free environment throughout the day.
The government has announced that forthcoming changes will expand upon current “no-see, no-hear” policies in select schools—allowing phones to stay in bags if undetected—effective from September 2027.
However, head teachers’ unions warn that implementing these stricter policies could be challenging without supplementary government funding.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell stated that the government’s clear message to parents and students is that school is for learning and friendship, not scrolling.
The government emphasized that unrestricted access to phones risks distancing children from their education and from one another.
While schools retain the flexibility to follow the guidance as they see fit, some have already invested in secure pouches or lockers. Others collect phones at the start of the day or have banned them entirely from school premises.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Powell said such measures could foster a “whole-school culture change,” a shift the government aims to see implemented globally.
Karl Harrison, head teacher at Burnage Academy for Boys in Manchester, revealed that the school invested £20,000 in a system of metal detectors and phone pouches to prevent pupil access.
Although some felt their autonomy was curtailed, Harrison noted that storing phones away had surprisingly increased pupil socialisation at school.
“Strict phone control has also boosted focus during lessons and raised achievement levels,” Harrison added.
