A new study says there is a lack of evidence to suggest banning phones in schools alone makes a difference when it comes to students’ grades, behaviour and wellbeing.
The findings from the University of Birmingham suggest there needs to be a greater focus on the amount of overall phone usage by young people, both inside and outside school.
More than 1,200 students were assessed as part of the study, which compared pupils at schools where phones are banned with those where they’re not, to establish how their levels of sleep, behaviour, exercise and screen time are affected.
The results suggested banning phones in school time made no real difference with the lead author of the report, Dr Victoria Goodyear, suggesting that reducing the overall time teenagers spend on smartphones should be the focus saying, “We need to do more than just ban phones in schools.”
Responding to the study, a government official said teachers already had "clear guidance" to manage phone use in a way that works for their schools, adding: "More robust evidence is needed to reach clear conclusions on the impact of smartphones on children.”
So, what is the current situation regarding mobile phones in schools around the UK?
Are mobile phones being banned in UK schools?
While mobile phones have already been largely banned in schools in the Netherlands and the French government has recommended a ban for under-13s, the UK government only offers advice to schools about mobile phone usage amongst pupils.
However, some MPs are calling for this advice to become law so that schools have to enforce a ban.
What are the current rules on mobile phones in UK schools?
It’s likely your school already has some kind of policy regarding mobile phones, as a 2024 study found that only 1% of schools allow pupils to use phones whenever they like.
The government issued guidance to schools in February 2024 that offered suggestions on how to “crackdown” and “prohibit” mobile phone use in schools in England.
This guidance was non-statutory - which means it’s up to the schools to decide whether they follow it – and, while it did not call for an outright ban of mobile phones, it did suggest that pupils don’t use them during the school day.
There are currently no complete bans on mobile phones enforced by the governments in schools in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where decisions on education are made by officials in that area. Both the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly have issued guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools.
How many young people have mobile phones and how do they use them?
A 2024 Ofcom study found that 96% of 12-15-year-olds own a mobile phone, while 61% of eight to 11-year-olds have a device
Mobile phone usage among young people is high, with a quarter of 13-18-year-olds surveyed for BBC Bitesize and BBC Radio 5 Live last year revealing that they use their phones for more than five hours on a typical day. Despite high phone usage in this age group, almost a quarter (23%) thought that smartphones should be banned for under-16s.
For many children and young people, mobile phones play an important role in how they socialise and connect with friends and a 2024 Ofcom report stated that 81% of all 3-17-year-olds use apps for messaging and calls. It also found that 80% of children aged 12-17 use their smartphones to help with school/homework.
Will there ever be an outright ban on mobile phones in schools?
In October 2024, Labour MP Josh MacAlister put forward an official proposal – called a private members’ bill - to create a new law that would ban smartphones in schools in England.
However, in March 2025 the MP told the BBC that the proposal had been watered down to gain government support, and would instead call for further research, as well as advice for parents on children’s smart phone and social media use.
The government had ruled out backing the proposal with the prime minister’s official spokesperson saying that “headteachers already have the power to ban phones in school and many have chosen to exercise this right. So we don’t have plans to legislate in that particular area”.
A September 2024 poll found that almost half (48%) of the UK public believe there should be a total ban on smartphones in schools, while 7% said they supported asking students to deposit their phones in a basket during class.
This article was updated in March 2025.
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