UK education secretary unveils plan for a nationwide classroom mobile‑phone ban

The UK government’s position on phones in schools is further advanced than the initial report suggested. Department for Education guidance updated on February 19, 2026 says schools in England should prohibit the use of mobile phones throughout the school day, including lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime. The guidance applies to England, not the whole United Kingdom, and it is framed around school-level policies rather than a single national confiscation regime at the school gate. The Department for Education says schools and trusts should implement a policy that prohibits phone use during the school day and should communicate that policy to parents and pupils. (gov.uk) ### Is this a brand-new ban, or an extension of existing policy? February 19, 2024 was the date the Department for Education first published non-statutory guidance on mobile phones in schools, and that guidance was revised for 2026. The current version says schools should be “mobile phone-free environments by default,” according to an Ofsted blog explaining how inspectors will view the updated rules. (gov.uk) January 2026 is when the Department for Education published the revised guidance that schools were advised to start using from April 2026. That means the current push is part of an existing policy track rather than a wholly new announcement. ### What do the official rules actually tell schools to do? Department for Education guidance says the prohibition should cover the full school day, including the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime. (gov.uk) The government publication is written as implementation guidance for schools and trusts, not as a direct criminal or civil penalty regime for pupils. Maintained schools, academies, non-maintained special schools and independent schools should publish details of their phone policy, the department says in separate parent-facing guidance. That document also cites Children’s Commissioner research saying 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools already have policies that limit or restrict phone use during the school day. (gov.uk) ### Does this cover all UK schools or only England? GOV.UK states that the mobile-phone guidance applies to England. Education policy is devolved across the UK, so rules for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are set separately. The original Daily Mail framing described a nationwide crackdown, but the accessible official material tied to the current policy is England-specific. (gov.uk) I could not verify, from official sources available here, a new UK-wide bill announced on June 1 or June 3. ### Is there a law coming, or is this still guidance? The House of Commons Library says a provision giving the guidance “the force of law” comes into effect on June 29, 2026. (gov.uk) Until then, it says, the existing non-statutory guidance remains in place. That is the clearest official-tied forward milestone now visible in public material. The Library briefing also says schools have been expected to prohibit mobile-phone use as part of their behaviour policies since the 2024 guidance was issued. (gov.uk) ### What should readers watch next? June 29, 2026 is the next concrete date in the public record. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) The House of Commons Library says that is when the legal provision connected to school mobile-phone rules comes into force in England. GOV.UK is also the place to watch for any fresh Department for Education press release, updated guidance, or parent-facing documents if ministers publish more detail on enforcement or implementation. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) (gov.uk)