The Department for Education (DfE) has made its guidance on mobile phones in schools statutory .
The DfE’s guidance states that ‘all schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default’.
We know from our inspections that many of you had already banned mobile phones in your schools, as you recognise that they're a drain on pupils' attention and often highly disruptive to their learning. That's why we welcome the DfE's strengthened guidance.
In this blog, I want to explain briefly how we'll be supporting the guidance through our inspections.
How inspections already consider schools' policies
The school inspection toolkit already puts a focus on the work leaders are doing to prevent mobile phones from hindering pupils’ education.
For example, when gathering evidence about the strategic leadership of attendance and behaviour, inspectors are already directed to check that leaders:
…‘have high expectations for all pupils’ attendance, behaviour and attitudes, and design effective policies that communicate these high expectations clearly to all staff, pupils and parents, including expectations related to mobile phones.’ (school inspection toolkit)
When deciding on grades, inspectors consider how effectively these policies, including those related to mobile phones, are implemented across the school.
They particularly want to know how consistently staff and pupils understand the policy and adhere to it throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime.
How we reflect the updated mobile phone guidance on inspection
Inspectors will:
- discuss with leaders what their policy is on mobile phones and how this is communicated to parents and to pupils
- evaluate whether staff and pupils understand the expectations around mobile phones
- determine how consistently the school’s mobile phone policy is being followed and its impact on pupils’ learning, behaviour and wellbeing
How we’ll consider different policies in schools
The DfE guidance is clear: it expects a ban on mobile phones in schools by default.
If a school has completely banned phones, inspectors will expect to see that this policy is communicated clearly, and that there’s a phone-free environment in the school when we inspect. They’ll also expect the school to deal with any breaches of that policy consistently.
If a school chooses to allow some exceptions for mobile phone use, for example due to an individual pupil's circumstances at home, inspectors will want to understand this decision. They'll check that the school is consistent in its approach.
Allowing a disabled pupil access to their mobile phone during the school day, where it is necessary due to the nature of their disability, may be considered a reasonable adjustment that the school has a duty to make. Similarly, where mobile phone use allows pupils to manage their medical condition effectively, it would not be reasonable for a school to prevent this.
If a school chooses not to follow the guidance, inspectors will continue to explore the impact of mobile phones on pupils’ behaviour, safety and wellbeing. For example, they will want to know:
- Do phones contribute to behavioural issues, including disruption to learning?
- Are pupils’ attitudes to learning – and their ability to focus and concentrate on their lessons – negatively affected?
- Is phone usage leading or contributing to incidents of bullying or discrimination?
- Is there a detrimental impact on pupils’ mental health and their sense of belonging?
Evidence of one or more of these points may indicate that leaders are not taking effective action to secure pupils’ positive behaviour, attitudes and wellbeing. This means it would be likely that the ‘expected standard’ for attendance and behaviour will not be met.