- Schools will have to go beyond policies that allow pupils to keep switched-off phones in their bags.
- Head teachers' unions warn that secure storage systems could create significant costs.
- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are taking different approaches to restricting phones in schools.
Schools in England are preparing for a stricter approach to mobile phones, with pupils expected to be unable to access their devices at any point during the school day from September 2027. But while ministers want to move beyond policies that allow phones to remain switched off in school bags, head teachers are questioning how they will pay for the change.
The government is strengthening its statutory guidance to ensure schools adopt measures that keep phones physically out of pupils' reach, rather than simply requiring them to remain unseen and unheard.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said the government's message to parents and pupils was that "school is for learning and friendship, not scrolling".
The Department for Education said access to phones risks pulling children away from their learning and from each other.
The announcement builds on existing restrictions. Statutory guidance became effective on June 29, 2026, requiring schools in England to have policies that prevent pupils from accessing mobile phones throughout the school day, including lessons, breaks and lunchtime. Schools were expected to begin following it from September 1.
However, the existing guidance leaves head teachers with flexibility over how they enforce the rules. Some schools have adopted a "no see, no hear" approach, allowing pupils to keep their phones in their bags as long as they are not visible or audible.
The revised guidance, expected to take effect in September 2027, will go further by requiring schools to ensure pupils cannot access their devices during the day.
How will schools enforce the stricter phone rules?
Schools will be able to decide how to implement the updated requirements, depending on their facilities and individual circumstances.
Some have already invested in sealed pouches that prevent pupils from using their phones until they are unlocked. Others provide secure lockers, collect devices at the beginning of the school day or prohibit pupils from bringing phones onto school grounds.
These approaches, however, require different levels of investment and staff involvement.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said mobile phones could create safety issues and become an unhelpful distraction during the school day. But he warned that more robust restrictions would come at a cost.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the new guidance provided some clarity but cautioned that schools could not simply make phones disappear.
"If all schools are going to be expected to have lockable pouches or other secure storage facilities for every pupil, the cost involved will be very significant indeed," he said.
"This is not feasible unless the government puts in the funding required to meet these costs."
The financial question could become particularly important for schools with large pupil populations, where buying individual storage pouches or installing secure facilities could require substantial upfront spending.
The unions are therefore asking the government to provide additional financial support rather than expecting schools to absorb the expense within already stretched budgets.
Why does the government want phones out of schools?
Ministers argue that restricting access to smartphones will help pupils concentrate, reduce disruption and encourage more face-to-face interaction.
Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner for England, welcomed stronger action to prevent phones from distracting pupils and disrupting the school day.
Charlotte Ashton, co-founder of campaign group Generation Focus, also supported the move, arguing that existing "no see, no hear" policies were not working effectively. She said pupils were still "TikToking in the toilets".
"Ultimately, we need to get to a point where it's not normal for every single child to have a personal internet-enabled device in their pockets with them 24/7," she said.
The announcement also drew support from the opposition. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said she was "delighted that Labour have finally listened to us and agreed to properly ban smartphones in schools".
However, she questioned the government's wider approach to technology in classrooms, arguing that its policies lacked joined-up thinking. She also welcomed a review of safety standards for educational technology, which ministers have announced alongside the phone guidance changes.
The debate is not limited to England. Education is a devolved responsibility, meaning Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can adopt their own approaches.
Scotland's government has proposed legislation to restrict personal phone use in schools and launched a consultation on the issue. In Wales, the Senedd voted against introducing a national statutory ban, leaving schools with flexibility over their own policies.
Northern Ireland's Education Minister Paul Givan launched a 12-week consultation in August on whether mobile phones should be prohibited in schools by law.
The school restrictions are also separate from the UK government's planned social media restrictions for under-16s, expected to begin in March 2027. Those measures would prevent children from accessing platforms including Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.
For schools in England, the immediate challenge is turning the government's expectations into workable policies. While there is growing political and public support for reducing smartphone distractions, the success of the stricter rules will depend on consistent enforcement, practical arrangements and whether schools receive the resources to implement them.
The government wants school days without accessible phones. Head teachers now want to know who will pay to make that possible.
