Managing mobile phone usage in school

Get to grips with DfE guidance on managing mobile phone usage in school, and adapt our template letters to parents/carers to let them know about any changes to your policy and approach.

Last reviewed on 22 February 2024See updates
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 48589
Contents
  1. Develop a policy to ban the use of mobile phones
  2. Choose the approach that works best for your school
  3. Think about the needs of individual pupils
  4. Communicate the rules to staff, parents/carers and pupils
  5. Make sure your staff lead by example

This article is based on the DfE's non-statutory guidance on mobile phones in schools. It sets out best practice on implementing a policy to ban the use of mobile phones and similar devices during the school day. 

Develop a policy to ban the use of mobile phones

It should set out how you will stop pupils from using their phones during the school day. This includes at break and lunchtimes, as well as in the classroom. It can be a standalone policy, or part of your behaviour policy.

You should publish details of your policy. This is explained on page 8 of the guidance

Use our model mobile phone policy to help you write yours. 

The use of phones by different groups of people in the school A code of conduct/acceptable use agreement for pupils who you permit to use phones in school (for example, due to exceptional circumstances) Information to give to visitors