Developing a mobile phone policy: draft guidance for schools

The years following the pandemic have brought significant changes to relationships, wellbeing, and behaviour across our schools. I have heard directly from headteachers, teachers, and support staff across Wales about the pressures they face and the growing impact that digital devices, particularly mobile phones, are having on learners’ readiness to learn, their concentration, and their wellbeing.

Mobile phones now underpin how many young people communicate and interact in modern Wales. However, there is increasing evidence — both from international studies and from the lived experience of schools here at home — that excessive or unmanaged smartphone use is linked to poorer concentration, increased anxiety, disrupted learning, and social isolation. Schools have also shared concerns about the part that mobile phones can play in bullying, the spread of harmful online content, and the escalation of disputes beyond the school day.

If we are to prepare the next generation for the opportunities and challenges of the digital age, we must ensure that classrooms remain safe, calm, and focused places to learn. That is why it is important that headteachers in Wales feel confident and fully supported to take the steps they believe are necessary to protect learning and wellbeing in their school.

In Wales, we trust our headteachers to take decisions to restrict mobile phones that best serve their learners and communities. They are best placed to judge how mobile phone use is affecting behaviour, wellbeing, teaching and learning. But I want to be clear: as Cabinet Minister, I am setting a clear national expectation that the use of mobile phones is restricted during the school day, with approaches up to and including a full restriction across the school site.

Our role as Government is not to mandate a single approach, but to ensure that headteachers, governing bodies, and school staff have the clarity, backing, and confidence they need to take decisive action where mobile phone use is causing disruption or harm. This guidance provides that assurance, and it empowers schools to take firm steps to protect learning and wellbeing.

Wales’ young people deserve classrooms where they can focus, thrive, and feel safe from digital pressures. We will continue to support our schools in taking evidence‑informed, proportionate measures to minimise the negative impacts of mobile phones and to deliver the best outcomes for learners across the country.

All schools in Wales should have their own policy to restrict mobile phone use, based on the needs of their school community. 

This guidance supports schools to develop a clear, evidence-informed policy on mobile phone use. It aims to:

• protect learner wellbeing
• promote positive behaviour
• maximise learning opportunities
• continue to use the benefits of technology
• promote consistency across Wales
• ensure policies are fair 
• ensure policies align with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

A National Behaviour Summit was held in May 2025. Following on from this, a national Mobile Phone Use in Schools Forum was established, including:

• practitioners and headteachers
• partners such as local authorities, third sector representatives and education psychologists
• key stakeholders including trade union representatives

Work was undertaken with the Forum to develop this guidance to help schools develop a mobile phone policy and make informed decisions regarding mobile phones. 

This guidance is to:

• local authorities in Wales
• the governing bodies of community, foundation and voluntary schools, community and foundation special schools and maintained nursery schools
• the management committees of Pupil Referral Units (“PRUs”) in Wales
• the proprietors of independent schools in Wales

The status and content of this guidance

This is statutory guidance issued by the Welsh Ministers in exercise of their powers under section 175(4) of the Education Act 2002 (“the 2002 Act”) and paragraph 6 of Part 3 of the Schedule to the Independent School Standards (Wales) regulations 2024 (“the 2024 Regulations”). It requires the bodies listed in the bullet points above to have regard to the guidance when formulating their mobile phone policies.

Under section 175 of the 2002 Act, governing bodies of maintained schools (and management committees of PRUs) must make arrangements for ensuring that their functions are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its pupils.

Under the 2024 regulations, proprietors of independent schools must make arrangements and have policies to safeguard and promote the welfare of their pupils.

A mobile phone policy (whether it be a stand-alone policy or incorporated into another policy) would constitute such arrangements for both maintained and independent schools.

The requirement to ‘have regard’ means that this guidance must be taken into account when putting together a mobile phone policy and any decision to depart from it must be justified.

A mobile phone policy will assist:

• school leaders and governors, to support strategic decision-making
• teaching and support staff, to ensure consistent implementation
• local authorities, to provide oversight and support

While parents, carers and learners are key stakeholders in policy development, this document is not designed as guidance for them. Instead, schools should signpost parents or carers to relevant resources, such as:

• NSPCC: Keeping children safe online
• Keeping Safe Online
• NSPCC: reporting online safety concerns
• Childline: Report Remove

Unless stated otherwise, in the rest of this guidance the term “school” encompasses all the maintained schools listed above (including PRUs) and independent schools. 

Mobile phones can contribute to distraction, bullying (including cyberbullying) and anxiety. Evidence links higher levels of phone and social media use to:

• poor sleep quality
• reduced physical activity
• lower attainment
• increased mental health challenges

However, controlled and purposeful use can support personal safety and medical needs. It can also have pedagogical benefits, such as enhancing learning through digital tools and supporting inclusive practice. 

International studies suggest that limiting phone use during the school day can:

• reduce distractions and bullying
• increase physical activity

However, evidence on wider outcomes, such as attainment and mental health, is less consistent. Implementation of a mobile phone policy should be:

• proportionate
• inclusive
• embedded within a positive school culture

What to consider

An effective mobile phone policy should reflect each school’s context. Each school operates within its own unique environment.

The policy should be aligned to this national guidance, but reflect local needs and circumstances.

The aim is not to impose a single, rigid approach. It is to provide a framework that supports schools to create solutions tailored to their communities.

The mobile phone policy should ensure that no learner is disadvantaged. If phones are restricted, alternative devices should be available to meet the digital requirements of the curriculum.

This guidance reflects the broad spectrum of approaches already adopted to restrict the use of mobile phones already in place across schools and local authorities in Wales. Schools also have flexibility to develop their own approach to restricting mobile phone use. 

They should take into account:

• age groups and development stage
• safeguarding responsibilities
• the wider goal of promoting responsible digital habits
• equitable use of digital tools to support teaching and learning
• independent school standards (for independent schools)

Decisions should be considered carefully and linked to other school policies. This includes behaviour and the whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Common models for mobile phone restrictions in schools

a) No mobile phones on the school premises

A school may decide that learners are not permitted to bring mobile phones to school.

This approach reduces distractions and safeguarding risks. It provides a straightforward policy to enforce, as any mobile phone found at school would be in breach of the policy.

However, it may limit emergency contact, cause parental anxiety and could increase safeguarding risks in some instances. Considerations would need to be made for learners that need mobile phones for monitoring medical conditions, for example, diabetes.

b) Mobile phone handed in on arrival to school

On entry to the school each pupil hands in their device to school staff. Learners can collect phones at the end of the school day. This allows learners to use phones before and after school. It reduces classroom disruption and provides clear control.

This model can be time-consuming, requires secure storage and there is a risk of loss or damage. Schools should be mindful that even if a learner has handed in a mobile phone, they may have access to another device. There could be staffing considerations for the school to manage this.

c) Lockable pouches or lockers

Mobile phones are kept in a secure place that learners do not access until the end of the day. This allows learners to keep their phones for travel safety. There are cost implications, logistical challenges and staff training may be required. Considerations would need to be made for learners that need mobile phones for monitoring medical conditions, for example, diabetes.

d) Never use, never heard

In line with this model learners keep their mobile phones with them, but they must never be used or heard. Consequences must be sufficient to act as a deterrent to breaching these conditions. This balances safety during travel time with reduced distraction. This policy is less intrusive, but enforcement can be difficult.

e) Permitted use in zones or time slots

Schools may want to consider flexible use for older learners. This can support social interaction and addresses parental safety concerns. It is harder to monitor, and mobile phones could potentially be misused in permitted areas. Safeguarding risks remain.

Key considerations

Primary versus secondary schools

Younger learners may need stricter controls. Older students may benefit from staggered or conditional access.

Safeguarding risks

This includes sharing inappropriate content and social media misuse.

Practical considerations

Consider teaching and learning impact, behaviour, safety, medical needs, and reasonable adjustments.

Enforcement and consistency

Clear, fair, and consistently applied rules are essential for success. Schools should have a mobile phone policy that includes reasonable adjustments to take account of individual circumstances. See section on adaptations and reasonable adjustments.

Schools should also signpost to wider safeguarding guidance. (For example, Ofcom regulations, Hwb Keeping Safe online) and ongoing work on digital responsibility. Managing mobile phone use is a shared responsibility.

1. Rationale

The policy should begin with a clear explanation of why it is needed. This should be supported by evidence on the impact of mobile phone use on learning, behaviour, and wellbeing. A strong rationale will help to secure buy-in from staff, learners, and parents.

2. Review and gather evidence

Review any existing approaches and gather evidence from the school’s context.

Drawing on evidence-based practice can strengthen the policy and demonstrate future benefits. This could include examples from other schools.

3. Consultation and co-construction

Policies work best when they are developed with the school community. Schools should engage all stakeholders in meaningful consultation. This should include learners, particularly older pupils, staff, parents, and governors. Learner voice should play a central role, for example through school councils. 

Schools should involve stakeholders through:

• questionnaires
• school council discussions
• meetings or workshops
• template communications (letters, slides, social media posts)

The school should use the feedback to co-construct a policy that:

• reflects the needs of its community
• aligns with behaviour, safeguarding, and wellbeing frameworks

4. Legal and safeguarding alignment

A mobile phone policy must comply with:

• safeguarding duties
• equality legislation
• data protection requirements

A mobile phone policy should also integrate with other key areas such as:

• the curriculum
• digital competency frameworks
• bullying prevention strategies
• Additional Learning Needs and inclusion policies
• the UNCRC

By embedding these considerations, schools can create a policy that:

• Is compliant with legal standards
• aligns with ethical best practice

5. Integration with existing frameworks and policies

A mobile phone policy should not stand alone. It should link to wider policies on:

• behaviour
• equity
• online safety
• wellbeing
• digital learning
• safeguarding
• anti-bullying

Consider how the policy interacts with homework apps or educational technology. This ensures that messages about appropriate use are consistent both in and out of school.

6. Communication strategy

Provide a clear, accessible written policy for staff and families such as publishing it on the school website. Reinforce key messages through:

• assemblies
• newsletters
• social media
• parent evenings
• posters

For learners there needs to be an emphasis on how any restrictions can assist their learning (if applicable). Use campaigns to make expectations visible and memorable. Consistent communication is essential to maintain understanding and support.

7. Holistic and supportive approach

Offer positive alternatives to phone use during breaks and lunchtimes, such as:

• clubs
• wellbeing spaces
• enrichment activities

Where appropriate, consider designated spaces for regulated phone use. Celebrate success by sharing examples of improved behaviour, engagement, and wellbeing through newsletters and school events.

8. Promoting healthy digital habits

The policy should promote healthy digital lifestyle habits and support a safe, inclusive learning environment. A well-designed policy extends beyond managing mobile phone use. It should:

• foster positive behaviour
• support wellbeing
• drive enhanced educational outcomes

A mobile phone policy can be a powerful tool to improve the overall school environment. It can help learners thrive by:

• creating clear expectations
• promoting responsible phone use

Support tools

To help the school implement the policy effectively, signpost practical resources such as:

• a flowchart outlining the development process
• templates for policies
• assemblies, and parent communications
• guidance for stakeholder engagement, including sample questions and strategies
• case studies showing successful implementation and impact

A mobile phone policy must be flexible enough to accommodate individual circumstances, while maintaining consistency and safeguarding principles. Schools should clearly define what constitutes a reasonable adjustment and outline the process for requesting exemptions.

Reasonable adjustments and flexibility

Controlled and purposeful use of a mobile phone can support personal safety and medical needs. It can also have pedagogical benefits, such as enhancing learning through digital tools and supporting inclusive practice.

There will be situations where pupils need access to a mobile phone for legitimate reasons. This includes:

• medical requirements
• disabled children
• responsibilities as young carers
• additional learning needs
• needs of children looked after 

For example, a pupil managing a health condition like diabetes may need their phone for monitoring purposes. Similarly, pupils with additional learning needs or those who require contact with family for care responsibilities may require exemptions and should be handled with sensitivity. These adjustments should be documented and agreed upon to ensure clarity and fairness. Schools should also consider the type of device permitted, such as basic phones without internet access, where appropriate.

Procedures for exemptions

The policy should include a clear and transparent process for requesting exemptions. This might involve:

• a formal application by parents or carers
• supporting evidence, where necessary
• a decision-making process that involves senior staff

Staff should be given guidance on how to manage these exemptions sensitively and consistently.

Equity considerations

Not all pupils have access to smartphones or digital devices. If mobile phones are permitted for learning activities, schools must ensure that alternative options are available so that no pupil is disadvantaged. This may include providing school-owned devices or adapting tasks to ensure inclusivity. Schools should acknowledge that resource limitations may affect their ability to provide devices and plan accordingly. Equity should also be taken into account when setting homework. Not all learners have access to a smartphone to access school-based apps that may be used in setting homework.

Use during journeys and visits or trips

On school trips or journeys, mobile phones may be allowed for safety and communication purposes. However, their use should remain subject to supervision and safeguarding protocols. Clear guidance should be given to pupils and staff about when and how phones can be used during these activities. This ensures that safety remains the priority while preventing misuse. Where exemptions apply for medical or care-related reasons, these should be managed in line with the school’s agreed procedures.

Safeguarding and supervision

Where mobile phone use is permitted outside the classroom, schools are encouraged to monitor this carefully. Staff should ensure that pupils understand expectations and that usage does not compromise safety, privacy, or wellbeing.

The success of a mobile phone policy depends on:

• shared responsibility
• consistent implementation and expectations across the entire school community

Everyone has a vital role to play. This includes staff, learners’ parents, and school leaders. Everyone should be actively involved in shaping the policy to ensure ownership and commitment.

Staff

All staff should be expected to model appropriate mobile phone use at all times. They should demonstrate the standards they expect from learners. This should be discussed at staff meetings so that expectations are clear. 

Staff should apply the policy consistently and fairly. They should ensure that rules and consequences are understood and followed. 

Staff also have a responsibility to identify and address barriers to implementation. This includes making reasonable adjustments for learners with specific needs such as:

• healthcare requirements
• additional learning needs
• social care needs

Training and clear guidance should be provided to ensure that staff:

• understand their roles
• can confidently enforce the policy
• maintain a positive and supportive approach

Learners

Learners must understand the policy and follow it throughout the school day. Learners should also take responsibility for their own behaviour and contribute to creating a respectful learning environment. Involving learners in the development and review of the policy helps ensure that they:

• understand the rationale behind it
• understand how they can have their own say
• enables their right to participate in decisions that affect their lives

This could be done through school councils or focus groups.

Parents and carers 

Parents and carers should be informed about the reasons for the policy and its benefits for learning and wellbeing. The policy should be easily accessible through school websites or portals.

Parents and carers play an important role by:

• supporting the policy at home
• respecting its implementation during the school day

They should:

• avoid contacting pupils during lessons except in emergencies
• encourage their children to adhere to the school’s expectation and mobile phone policy

Clear communication between home and school is essential.

School leadership and governing bodies and (or) management committees and (or) proprietors

School leaders and governing bodies and (or) management committees and (or) proprietors are responsible for ensuring that the policy:

• is co-developed with input from all stakeholders
• aligns with wider frameworks on behaviour, safeguarding, and wellbeing

They should monitor the impact of the policy. They should review it regularly and allocate resources for:

• training
• communication
• any practical measures such as secure storage solutions

They should also celebrate successes. They should share evidence of positive outcomes with the school community.

All stakeholders need clear, regular communication about the policy and its expectations. This helps maintain understanding and reinforces compliance. It supports a whole-school culture where everyone works together to promote learning, safety, and wellbeing.

The implementation of a mobile phone policy must be:

• principled
• transparent and clear
• integrated into wider school behavioural frameworks 

The policy should clearly outline the consequences for breaches, reference legal powers, and emphasise proportionality and equity.

Introduce the policy gradually through a soft launch, allowing time for education and adjustment before full implementation. Communicate expectations clearly. Outline any exemptions, such as for medical needs or additional learning requirements. Once refined, seek governing body approval to ensure consistency across the school.

Proportionate and contextual sanctions

Sanctions should escalate appropriately based on the nature and frequency of misuse. 

For minor or first-time breaches, temporary confiscation and a conversation with the pupil may be sufficient. Repeated or serious breaches may warrant:

• detentions
• more significant confiscation periods
• meetings with parents or carers

Removal of a mobile phone for some learners navigating complex trauma could trigger and exacerbate behaviours so a trauma informed response by practitioners may be more appropriate.

Clear procedures for returning confiscated devices should be outlined transparently to pupils and families. This should include expectations of collection timeframes.

Legal powers and guidance

School staff have the legal authority to search for and confiscate mobile phones as part of their behaviour policy. 

Making explicit reference to this authority in the policy will reassure staff and parents that enforcement is lawful.

Search, privacy, and dignity

Where a search is necessary, such as to investigate suspected serious misuse, it must be conducted respectfully and in line with school protocols on pupil privacy and dignity. Staff must follow the school’s safeguarding procedures. They should record any searches or confiscations appropriately to maintain safety and transparency.

Consistency with whole-school behaviour framework

Sanctions for mobile phone misuse should align with the broader behaviour policy. This ensures that the school’s response to incidents is integrated and coherent. Aligning sanctions with the behaviour policy :

• avoids confusion
• promotes fairness
• supports a unified disciplinary system

Recording incidents in the same way as other behavioural issues enables leaders to monitor trends and respond effectively.

Communication and record-keeping

The entire process, from initial warning to eventual sanction, must be communicated clearly to pupils, parents, and staff. The policy should define:

• how sanctions are recorded
• who is informed
• expected timelines for returning confiscated devices

Accurate record-keeping facilitates transparency. It helps identify patterns of non-compliance, and supports a culture of trust and accountability.

A mobile phone policy works best when it is flexible and responsive to change. Technology, social behaviours, and educational practices continue to evolve. Schools are encouraged to review their policy to ensure it is:

• relevant and effective
• aligned with the needs of learners and the wider school community

Review cycle

It is recommended that schools review a mobile phone policy regularly. Ideally this should be done on an annual basis. When conducting their review, schools should:

• take account of developments in technology
• emerging safeguarding considerations
• feedback from a range of stakeholders, including learners

Impact measures

Evaluation is most effective when it is evidence-based. Schools can use the following to assess the impact of the policy:

• behaviour data, for example, Public Health Wales SHRN data dashboard
• attendance records
• engagement metrics
• wellbeing surveys
• health-related data from national or local sources
• attainment data

This can provide insight into how the policy affects pupils’ mental health and social interactions. Including attainment data can help schools understand whether the policy supports improved learning outcomes.

The School Health Research Network (SHRN) is a policy-practice-research partnership between Cardiff University, Welsh Government, and Public Health Wales, funded by the Welsh Government. SHRN provides valuable data supporting schools to establish baseline metrics on learner health and well-being and monitor changes over time (including topics directly relating to mobile phone use, for example, screen use at night, social media, and cyberbullying). Most maintained secondary schools (95%) and 42% of primary schools are members of SHRN and receive bespoke data through biennial feedback reports that can inform school health promotion strategies and actions. 

Secondary schools may also wish to make use of the Public Health Wales Secondary School Children’s Health and Well-being SHRN Data Dashboard, a free online data resource presenting data from SHRN’s national secondary school health and well-being survey. Users of the Dashboard can explore trends in data at national, health board, and local authority levels. Instructions on using the Dashboard can be found on SHRN website. Further information on the benefits of SHRN membership can be found on SHRN website.

Feedback and stakeholder engagement

Gathering views from learners, staff, and parents is critical to maintaining trust and relevance. Feedback can be collected through a range of methods including:

• surveys
• focus groups
• informal discussions

This ongoing dialogue will ensure that the policy reflects the lived experiences of the school community. It will also ensure that the policy adapts to changing needs.

Celebrating success

Schools should actively share positive outcomes to implementing the policy in:

• newsletters
• assemblies
• social media

Depending on the school’s approach, positive outcomes could include:

• improvements in behaviour
• engagement
• wellbeing
• regulated use of mobiles

Highlighting successes will reinforce the benefits of the policy. It will encourage continued support from all stakeholders.

Continuous improvement

Monitoring and evaluation should not be seen as an additional burden but as part of a whole-school approach to improvement. 

Schools should embed review processes into existing cycles, such as:

• behaviour audits
• wellbeing checks

This ensures that the policy remains dynamic and responsive without creating unnecessary workload.

A mobile phone policy should not only restrict inappropriate use. It should also promote safe, responsible, and informed behaviours. Education is key to achieving this balance.

Schools should integrate digital literacy and online safety education into the curriculum. This includes teaching learners about:

• managing screen time
• protecting personal information
• understanding privacy settings
• recognising risks such as cyberbullying and online exploitation
• respectful online communication
• the impact of digital behaviour on wellbeing

Learners should be encouraged to:

• reflect on their own technology habits
• understand the importance of balance between online and offline activities

This can be supported through wellbeing programmes and pastoral care initiatives.

Schools should signpost trusted resources to pupils, parents, and staff. Hwb’s Keeping Safe Online guidance and digital wellbeing hubs provide practical advice and tools for managing online risks. These resources should be highlighted in:

• assemblies
• newsletters
• on school websites 

Supporting safe and responsible use requires collaboration across the school community. Staff should model positive behaviours. Parents should reinforce messages at home, and pupils should be encouraged to take ownership of their digital choices.

A mobile phone policy should reference relevant Welsh Government guidance. This will ensure clarity and alignment with statutory requirements. This could include guidance on:

• behaviour management
• safeguarding
• online safety and digital resilience
• child protection frameworks
• peer on peer sexual harassment in education settings
• sharing nudes and semi-nudes: responding to incidents and safeguarding children and young people
• online safety policies and procedures

Providing references will help staff and parents understand the legal and educational context. It will reinforce the policy’s credibility.