UK government introduces statutory ban on mobile phones in English schools

The British government has announced that it will introduce a statutory ban on mobile phones within schools across England to ensure the passage of "critical safeguarding legislation."

On Monday, Education Minister Jacqui Smith informed the House of Lords that an amendment would be tabled to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

This move effectively elevates existing non-statutory guidance to a formal legal requirement, a step ministers had previously resisted.

The decision follows significant pressure from peers on opposition benches who had held up the bill’s progress.

Government officials had originally argued that a legal mandate was unnecessary, citing data from the Children’s Commissioner, which revealed that 99.8% of primary and 90% of secondary schools already restricted phone usage.

However, the government eventually described the statutory shift as a "pragmatic measure" to secure the bill’s advancement.

Baroness Smith noted the "strength of feeling" on the issue, acknowledging the widespread desire for a clearer legal framework.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is considered one of the most significant pieces of child protection legislation in recent decades.

Beyond the mobile phone ban, the bill proposes the creation of a compulsory register for home-schooled children, a crackdown on profiteering in social care, and a "single unique identifier" to assist agencies in tracking child welfare.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson had previously urged headteachers to maintain phone-free environments throughout the entire school day.

This new amendment ensures that all schools in England must now comply with these standards by law.