England enforces school smartphone ban under new law

From 29 June 2026 Section 36 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 makes it a legal requirement for schools in England to keep pupils’ mobile phones and similar devices out of use for the entire school day. The ban covers smartphones, smartwatches and any device that can receive notifications. Schools must have a clear policy, which Ofsted will inspect, and may choose approaches such as collecting phones at the start of the day, turning them off, or using lockable pouches. Exceptions are allowed for medical needs and for sixth‑form students in designated areas.

Headteacher Tony McCabe of St Joseph’s RC High School in Bolton says the school is using secure pouches that lock phones until home‑time, but because no government funding is provided it has launched a £1.3 k GoFundMe appeal to purchase them. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stressed that “mobile phones have no place in schools”, while technology expert Ernest Doku noted that the ban will affect the school day but “the challenge for most families doesn’t stop at 3 pm”.