Mobile phones in schools – how will your school ensure a safe and “mobile phone free” environment?

After the news that guidance on mobile phone use in schools became statutory at the end of June, from September 2026, schools will be expected to be a “mobile phone free" environment by default, with anything other than this being an exception only. Behaviour policies will need to be reviewed to reflect this change, and staff should be clear and confident in the way that it is communicated to parents and carers. In reality, this is going to be a big shift for pupils as they see mobile phone use (specifically smart phone use) disappear from their classrooms, corridors, and playgrounds.

Different members of the school communities will be affected in numerous ways and school leaders and safeguarding leads should consider these when looking ahead to September. The wellbeing of pupils is central to the changes and the new legislation is working towards ensuring pupils can experience a safer school day:

• Without excessive screen time

• By limiting access to social media

• Reducing the risk of cyberbullying in the school day

• By promoting face-to-face interactions and real-world experiences and encouraging integration and conversation

• By building a stronger communication trail with parents, avoiding pupils “bypassing” this with a direct link to them

• Restricting potentially addictive features such as ‘streaks’ and ‘infinite scrolling’

Keeping children safe in education 2026 recognises that a mobile phone free policy is part of a wider effort to protect children from online harms, including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and risks associated with AI-generated images or deepfakes. Schools should also review their online safety policy and curriculum to ensure that pupils receive age-appropriate lessons and knowledge so that they can keep themselves safe beyond the school gate.

Of course, this will look different at Primary and Secondary level. Primary schools will inevitably have a different approach to their secondary colleagues as mobile phone usage in primary schools is significantly less and the concerns from parents may be focussed on aspects such as safety for walking home. Primary schools should consider and be prepared for parents potentially sourcing other means to monitor their children such as trackers that they place on their child. These do not come without risk as they can be inaccurate. Schools should communicate with parents the risks and pitfalls of using such technology.

Secondary schools focus for September should be the “buy in” for the three main stakeholders: staff, parents/carers, and pupils.

Staff

All staff should consistently enforce their school’s policy on the use of mobile phones. They should be clear on the expectations and those rare cases where there may be an exception such as a pupil who has reasonable adjustments or a pupil who may use a phone for a medical condition such as diabetes care.

Where possible (and not including an emergency), staff should not use their own mobile phone for personal reasons in front of pupils throughout the school day. This will empower staff to better challenge pupils to meet the school expectations and effectively enforce not using mobile phones throughout the school day.

Leaders should however be mindful that staff are entitled to use their phones during break and non-contact time and any policies should not be too prescriptive. Some systems such as those used for safeguarding also require multi-factor authentication so this should also be a consideration for staff usage and not impede safeguarding responsibilities. For example, a staff member not reporting a concern for fear of using their 2FA during the school day.

Parents

Parents have a fundamental role in supporting the school’s policy on prohibiting the use of mobile phones, even if this is something they may not necessarily support or agree with. The policy should be clearly explained to parents, including the reasons behind the policy and the school’s expectations to ensure that there is as much support and buy in as possible.

Parents should also be encouraged to discuss the policy at home as appropriate, including the risks associated with mobile phone use and the benefits of a mobile phone free environment during the school day. If parents need to contact their child during the school day, they should be directed to the school office, where staff should be aware of the school’s policy on relaying messages and facilitating contact. School leaders should also monitor the impact that the ban may have on administration staff and those with pastoral responsibility as removing direct contact to pupils during the day could see this rise.

Pupils

All pupils (primary and secondary) should be clear on their school’s policy on the use of mobile phones and should be reminded periodically of the policy, and the consequences and sanctions for not following it. This should be done at the start of each school year and could involve a tangible message such as signing a contract.

In the curriculum, pupils should be taught the risks that are associated with the use of mobile phones, both in school and more broadly, to ensure they understand the decision being taken by their school to cease the use of mobile phones during all parts of the school day. Pupils should also be reminded of the benefits of having a mobile phone free environment such as being able to socialise in person, have conversations, try something new or increase their physical activity. This will hopefully provide intrinsic motivation to support the school culture and prevent a loss of focus in lessons, classroom disruption and an increase in bullying.

As schools prepare for September, each setting will need to adopt an approach that reflects its unique context, recognising that a solution effective in one school may not be appropriate in another. The government has published a range of case studies from schools that have piloted different approaches to creating mobile phone-free environments, which can be accessed here.

As technology continues to evolve, schools must remain agile and responsive, balancing the opportunities that digital innovation brings with their responsibility to safeguard children. The implementation of these changes will undoubtedly present both challenges and opportunities, requiring school leaders and Designated Safeguarding Leads to work collaboratively to develop strategies that support learning, wellbeing, and safety in an increasingly digital world.

About the author: Melissa Pollard is a Designated Safeguarding Lead with 20 years experience in education and children's mental health.