Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
Paragraph: 41
Government's tougher mobile phone ban in schools welcomed for positive impact.
Conclusion
We strongly welcome the Government’s decision to implement a tougher mobile phone ban in schools in England. We welcome the fact that this includes break times and sends a clearer message than previous guidance about the benefits of having phones out of sight and reach. It is clear that a ban can have a positive impact of the mental health and educational outcomes of children.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government confirms it will continue to gather evidence on mobile phone policies, including through a call for evidence and ongoing DfE omnibus surveys. It explains that a statutory ban is not currently considered necessary, as existing guidance is being widely followed by schools, and refers to the non-statutory guidance published in February 2024.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
41
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
In February 2024, the department published non-statutory guidance prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime. We expect all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗