Ban Smartphones in Schools for Pupils Under 16

Education & Skills
1

Restoring Focus, Protecting Minds, Reclaiming Classrooms

Executive Summary

This paper sets out the case for a nationwide ban on personal smartphone use in schools for all pupils under the age of 16. Based on extensive research, international best practice, and growing concerns from educators, parents, and mental health professionals, this policy aims to:

  • Improve academic performance
  • Enhance mental wellbeing and social development
  • Restore classroom discipline and teacher authority
  • Reduce bullying and online abuse within the school environment

I propose a phased ban on smartphones within school premises for under-16s, with exceptions for medical or special educational needs (SEN), and a full rollout by September 2026.

Background

Smartphones have become omnipresent in young people’s lives. By age 12, over 90% of UK children own a smartphone. While technology can bring benefits, the unregulated use of smartphones during school hours is linked to:

  • Diminished concentration and academic performance
  • Disrupted classroom dynamics
  • Increased cyberbullying and social anxiety
  • Sleep deprivation and addiction-like behaviours
  • Rising levels of mental health problems, especially among teenage girls

A national approach is required to address these compounding issues.

The Case for a Ban

1. Academic Impact

A study by the London School of Economics (2015) found that schools which banned phones saw a 6.4% increase in test scores, with the most disadvantaged pupils gaining the most.

A 2023 OECD report concluded that “digital distraction is one of the key inhibitors of classroom learning” in developed nations.

2. Mental Health and Wellbeing

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned of a direct correlation between heavy smartphone use and rising rates of depression, anxiety, and self-harm in under-18s.

A 2022 NHS Digital report found:

  • 1 in 4 girls aged 14–16 reported frequent cyberbullying
  • Teenagers spending more than 3 hours a day on social media were twice as likely to report depressive symptoms

3. Social Development

Teachers report growing concerns over students’ inability to engage in face-to-face interaction, growing dependence on validation through digital platforms, and declining empathy among peers.

School should be a place where young people learn to speak, disagree, collaborate, and resolve — not retreat into digital bubbles.

4. International Precedents

  • France: Nationwide school phone ban since 2018 for under-15s
  • The Netherlands: Ban took effect in 2024
  • Australia: State-level bans rolled out in Victoria, Queensland, and NSW
  • Sweden and Norway have seen positive pilot results from limited phone policies

Policy Proposal

Policy Objective

To ban the use of personal smartphones by all pupils under the age of 16 during school hours and on school premises.

Scope

  • Applies to all state-funded and independent schools in England, with guidance to devolved governments
  • Exemptions for medical conditions, SEN pupils, and school-approved educational devices
  • Enforcement delegated to schools with DfE-backed legal support

Implementation Timeline

  • May 2025: Consultation with educators, unions, parents, and child psychologists
  • July 2025: Publish statutory guidance
  • September 2025: Voluntary adoption with financial support for secure storage solutions
  • September 2026: Full statutory enforcement across all schools

Enforcement Mechanism

  • Schools to require students to hand in phones on arrival or store them in lockers
  • Sanctions for non-compliance to follow existing school behaviour policies
  • Ofsted to include digital behaviour and phone policy enforcement in inspections

Expected Outcomes

  • Measurable improvement in academic performance by 2028
  • Reduction in in-school bullying and cyber incidents
  • Improved attention, behaviour and pupil-teacher relationships
  • Healthier school culture fostering real-world social skills

Conclusion

The classroom must be a sanctuary for learning, growth, and human connection. The unchecked intrusion of smartphones threatens this core purpose. By implementing a well-managed national ban, we place our faith not in machines, but in teachers, pupils, and the power of uninterrupted education.

This policy is not anti-technology — it is pro-child.

2 Likes
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It is not just in school that phones are a problem. I normally avoid the school rush hour, but this morning I failed and two of the little darlings decided that walking in front of me while I was and they were texting was a good idea.

3

I recently visited the Michaela Community School in Wembley where even the sixth formers aren’t allowed to use phones in the school. I’ve only started reading Jonathan Haidt’s book but he seems, at least at the beginning, to include adolescents, those up to the age of 20, in a sales ban. That, I think, would prevent the slightly absurd situation where if you leave school at 16 as a troublemaker and go to college you can have a smartphone, but if you stay on, to become a doctor, you can’t.