Calls for clarity over schools smartphone ban

Headteachers and campaigners have called for clarity on how best to implement the government's proposed legal ban on smartphones in schools.

In an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the government is proposing an existing law be altered so schools will have a legal duty to consider the guidance which says schools should be "mobile phone-free environments by default".

MPs will debate the issue on Wednesday afternoon in the Commons, where the Conservatives will likely press the government to explicitly rule out pupils being allowed to keep their phones switched off and in their bags.

Rob McGinty, headteacher at Hollingworth Academy in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, said his school has a "no see, no hear policy" but he would be in favour of completely removing smartphones from schools.

"I think some pupils will still continue to bring phones into school, so as far as a ban is concerned I think we need more details around what that looks like in order to support schools and teachers better," he said.

Hollingworth Academy currently has a "no see no hear" policy, but the school has started a consultation with pupils, staff and parents on the introduction of lockable pouches, which block the phone's signal so notifications are not transmitted to smart watches or wireless earbuds and headphones.

"No one's naive enough to think that mobile phones won't be going off in a blazer or trouser pocket, or even in school bags," McGinty said.

"They vibrate, they go off, then prompting a child to want to have a look and see what the alert is rather than focusing on the important thing - which is being in a lesson, focusing on what the teacher's saying and getting a really good education."

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is currently stuck in parliamentary "ping-pong", where legislation moves between the Commons and Lords until agreement is reached on its final wording.

The government is now running out of time to get this key bit of legislation - which includes other measures such as a register of children not in school and a unique identifying number for children - over the line.

The Bill will then return to the House of Lords on Monday, with potentially limited time for a final Commons vote before the end of this parliamentary session.

Charlotte Ashton, from campaign group Generation Focus, agreed that head teachers need more direction on how to implement the ban.

Ashton says 80% of schools with smartphone bans have a "no see, no hear" policy, which she says is "simply ineffective".

"It doesn't work to allow children to keep possession of their smartphones, because they are the world's most powerful distraction devices, and they are using them under the desks and in the toilets and in places where teachers can't have eyes on them.

"Until we move explicitly to a ruling out of 'no see no hear' for smartphones, we won't get the change that we need to protect our children during the school day."

Ashton said the "gold standard" would be for schools to only allow "brick" phones, which can be used to call or text but have very limited internet access, and are not a "distraction tool".

A significant logistical exercise

Pepe Di'Iasio, General Secretary of The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said school leaders are "best placed to decide on the most appropriate mobile phone policy for their setting".

He added that to go further than a "not seen, not heard" policy, where pupils are "separated from their phones throughout the day", would be "a significant logistical exercise for schools and one that could prove hugely costly".

"The government would therefore have to provide funding to enable schools to find a safe and secure storage that works for their setting."

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) said it was "about time" a ban came into place.

"While most schools are operating a ban on the use of mobile phones, this statutory obligation will certainly help to take the pressure off leaders, teachers and parents," he said.

He adds that more needs to be done to "protect children from harmful content they see on social media at home."

"Only a ban for under-16s can provide the immediate safeguard needed to protect young people from dangerous, algorithmic platforms."

Back at Hollingworth Academy, Year 10 student Elena says having a phone can be useful if a plan changes "if I need to tell my mum where I was going to be and I wouldn't be able to then she would be worried about me and then I would have no way of getting home."

Shaan says there are pros and cons to a ban. She agrees that not being able to quickly get hold of her parents would make her feel "stressed and have anxiety" but that she gets "distracted on my phone a lot as well".

"I feel like if I have a pouch, it will stop me going on my phone a lot and checking it."

Reform UK's Education Spokesman Suella Braverman MP said: "The current guidance simply does not go far enough. A clear, enforceable ban to protect children is the right thing to do, for standards, parents, teachers and for the future of our children."