Stricter Oversight of Mobile Phone Use in Schools in England
The UK government has decided to strengthen oversight of mobile phone use in schools. The Department for Education (DfE) announced that the inspection body Ofsted will now review schools’ mobile phone policies during all school inspections. At the same time, it was announced that “tougher” new guidance will be issued to schools to further restrict the use of mobile devices.
The DfE stated that the new guidance will clearly emphasize that students should not have access to mobile phones during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons. In addition, teachers and school staff are expected not to use their personal mobile phones in front of pupils. Schools are expected to begin implementing this guidance from the start of the summer term.
During inspections, Ofsted will assess not only whether schools have written mobile phone policies in place, but also how effectively these policies are implemented in practice. Schools that struggle to enforce phone bans will receive one-to-one support through attendance and behaviour hub schools.
Meanwhile, the government is preparing to launch a broader consultation on children’s use of technology. This process will consider options such as a potential social media ban for children, raising the digital age of consent, and restricting addictive design features in apps, such as “infinite scrolling.” While education unions have welcomed the move, they have also stressed the need for additional financial support to help schools store students’ mobile phones safely and securely.