All schools in England are now required to implement a complete ban on smartphones for the entirety of the school day, adhering to new government guidance. While most schools already had some form of mobile phone restriction in place, the policies varied significantly across institutions.
Some schools previously utilized specialized lockers or sealed pouches to manage student phones. One school in Hampshire permitted only basic "brick" or "dumb" phones, which offered limited internet access and were restricted to calls and texts. In Essex, a school adopted magnetically locked pouches to replace its previous "out-of-sight" policy. Students who require phone access for medical reasons, such as managing insulin pumps, will now use Velcro-sealed pouches.
These pouch systems have reportedly made a substantial positive impact at a school in Hull, according to staff and pupils. Other schools have operated under "no see, no hear" policies, allowing students to keep their phones as long as they remained stored away and unused.
The Department for Education has stated that head teachers are best positioned to determine the most effective method for enforcing a phone ban that suits their specific school environment and student body. However, some unions are advocating for more comprehensive government action.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, has called for additional funding to support ban implementations beyond the "no see, no hear" approach. This funding, he suggests, would help schools afford necessary equipment like lockers, secure storage areas, or phone pouches.