England to make school phone ban legally binding...

The British government will introduce a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools in England.

The government seeks to secure passage of flagship child protection legislation after opposition peers delayed the bill in the House of Lords.

Education minister Jacqui Smith said on Monday the government would table an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to give legal force to existing guidance restricting phone use in schools.

“We recognise the strength of feeling on this issue,” Smith told lawmakers, adding the move would create “a clear legal requirement for schools” while helping ensure the bill’s passage.

Ministers had previously resisted making the guidance statutory, arguing most schools already enforced restrictions. The government described the shift as a “pragmatic measure”.

The bill, considered one of the most significant child protection reforms in decades, includes plans for a compulsory register of children not in school, tighter regulation of children’s social care providers and a single identifier to track child welfare.

Pepe Di’Iasio, head of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the change would have limited impact as most schools already restrict phone use, but called for funding to support secure storage such as lockers or pouches.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has previously urged schools to be phone-free throughout the day, though guidance has until now been non-binding.

Research by the Children’s Commissioner for England found nearly all primary schools and the majority of secondary schools already limit mobile phone use during school hours.

Headteachers are expected to welcome the legal clarity, particularly in disputes with parents.

The move follows pressure from opposition parties, with the Liberal Democrats claiming credit for pushing the government to adopt a statutory ban.