Secondary schools in England will face tougher rules on mobile phones from September 2027, with pupils expected to have no access to their devices throughout the school day.
Phones are set to be banned from pupils’ bags and pockets under tougher government plans aimed at creating genuinely phone-free secondary schools across England.
The new rules will come into force from September 1, 2027, building on restrictions introduced earlier this year that require schools to prevent pupils from accessing smartphones during the school day.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell said the government wanted to take a tougher approach to children’s smartphone use in schools, arguing that pupils should not have access to their devices at any point during the day.
She is quoted by The Sun as saying: “Children should not be using smartphones at any point during the school day, full stop.
“That’s why we’re strengthening our guidance to take the next leap towards truly phone-free schools.
“School is for learning and friendship, not scrolling.”
The existing “no see, no hear” approach used by some schools allows pupils to keep their phones with them, provided the devices are stored out of sight and cannot be accessed.
Under the new rules, however, schools will have to ensure pupils cannot access their phones throughout the school day.
Schools will be able to decide how they enforce the restrictions, meaning some pupils could be required to hand their devices in when they arrive.
Others could use secure lockers or storage systems, while some schools have already introduced sealed pouches designed to prevent students from accessing their phones.
The government is also expected to allow schools to use other measures to prevent pupils from hiding devices in bags or clothing.
The rules will apply to state secondary schools across England from September 2027, although the precise start date for individual schools will depend on when they return after the summer holidays.
The tougher approach follows changes introduced in June under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.
The legislation requires schools to operate as phone-free environments, meaning pupils should not have access to smartphones during lessons, between classes, at break times or during lunch.
Ofsted inspections will be used to check that schools are consistently enforcing the restrictions.
The government argues that limiting smartphone access will help create an environment focused on education and face-to-face interaction, rather than social media and other online distractions.
Phones set to be banned from pupils’ bags and pockets under new school rules
