Calls for clarity over schools smartphone ban
Headteachers and campaigners have urged for clear guidance on how to effectively implement the government's proposed legal ban on smartphones in schools.
Within an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the government proposes to amend existing legislation to impose a legal duty on schools to consider guidance recommending that schools operate as "mobile phone-free environments by default."
MPs are scheduled to debate this issue on Wednesday afternoon in the House of Commons, where Conservative members are expected to press the government to explicitly prohibit pupils from keeping their phones switched off but retained in their bags during school hours.
Rob McGinty, headteacher at Hollingworth Academy in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, stated that his school currently enforces a "no see, no hear policy" regarding phones but that he supports the complete removal of 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 has initiated a consultation involving pupils, staff, and parents on introducing lockable pouches designed to block phone signals, thereby preventing notifications from being transmitted to smartwatches, wireless earbuds, or 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 explained.
"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."
Parliamentary ping-pong
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is currently undergoing parliamentary "ping-pong," a process where legislation moves back and forth between the House of Commons and the House of Lords until consensus is reached on its final wording.
The government is facing time constraints to pass this significant legislation, which also includes provisions such as a register of children not attending school and a unique identifying number for children.
The Bill is set to return to the House of Lords on Monday, with potentially limited time remaining for a final Commons vote before the conclusion of the current parliamentary session.
Charlotte Ashton, representing the campaign group Generation Focus, concurred that headteachers require more explicit direction on how to enforce the ban.
Ashton noted that 80% of schools with smartphone bans currently implement a "no see, no hear" policy, which she described as "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 added that the "gold standard" would be for schools to permit only "brick" phones, which allow calling and texting but have very limited internet access and do not serve as distraction tools.
A significant logistical exercise
Pepe Di'Iasio, General Secretary of The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), emphasized that school leaders are "best placed to decide on the most appropriate mobile phone policy for their setting."
He further stated that implementing measures beyond a "not seen, not heard" policy, where pupils are separated from their phones throughout the day, would constitute "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), expressed support for the ban, stating it was "about time" such a measure was introduced.
"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 also emphasized the need for additional measures to protect children from harmful content encountered on social media outside of school hours.
"Only a ban for under-16s can provide the immediate safeguard needed to protect young people from dangerous, algorithmic platforms."
At Hollingworth Academy, Year 10 student Elena highlighted the usefulness of having a phone for communication, especially if plans change.
"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, another student, acknowledged both advantages and disadvantages to a phone ban.
"I agree that not being able to quickly get hold of my parents would make me feel stressed and have anxiety, but I get 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, criticized the current guidance as insufficient.
"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."
