Developing a mobile phone policy draft guidance for schools: integrated impact assessment

The First 100-Days Plan published by the Seventh Senedd includes a commitment to:

Empower local authorities to promote students’ safety, learning and well-being through restricting the use of smartphones in schools for under-16s, working with councils and school leaders to implement this in a practical and proportionate way, with appropriate exemptions where necessary.

Mobile phones and other personal digital devices are widely used by children and young people and form an increasing part of their daily lives. While these technologies can support learning and communication, their presence in schools can also present challenges, including distraction from learning, impacts on wellbeing, and risks associated with misuse.

Since the widespread adoption of smartphones — accelerated further by changes in digital engagement during and after the Covid‑19 pandemic — there has been growing recognition of the need to support schools in managing mobile phone use more effectively. This includes balancing the educational benefits of digital technology with the need to minimise disruption, safeguard learners, and promote positive behaviour and wellbeing.

Currently, schools in Wales determine their own policies in relation to the use of mobile phones. This has resulted in variation in practice across schools and local authorities, with no statutory guidance in place to support a consistent national approach.

There is no specific legislative framework governing the use of mobile phones in schools. However, schools and local authorities are able to rely on existing discretionary powers to develop and implement policies on the use of mobile phones and other personal digital devices.

In the absence of national statutory guidance, approaches to managing mobile phone use may differ significantly. This variation has the potential to impact on the consistency with which learning environments are protected from disruption, and on the extent to which issues relating to learner wellbeing, behaviour and safeguarding are addressed.

There is a strongly held view across the education sector that the use of mobile phones during the school day contributes significantly to poor behaviour, disengagement from learning and issues like bullying and harassment, with increasing calls to restrict or remove mobile phones from schools. We have been made aware of a range of issues of misuse of mobile phones in schools, including incidents of children recording and sharing footage of bullying and fights online to reports of issues of children recording teachers or pupils and then using AI to manipulate images

To deliver on the 100 Day commitment, in June this year, the Welsh Government announced the intention to publish new statutory guidance to restrict the use of mobile phones in schools to strengthen expectations and provide a clearer framework for implementation.

The guidance will include information on how schools should develop their policies, and how to consider appropriate exemptions where learners have specific reasons to require access to a phone during the school day.

The aim of statutory guidance is to support greater consistency in approach across Wales, while continuing to allow schools and local authorities appropriate flexibility to respond to local circumstances.

Statutory guidance will support schools to develop clear, evidence-informed policies on mobile phone use. It will aim to:

• protect learner wellbeing
• promote positive behaviour
• maximise learning opportunities
• continue to promote the benefits of technology
• ensure 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)

The guidance will apply to all age ranges in:

• maintained schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units
• independent schools

The development of statutory guidance will support schools and local authorities in implementing proportionate and effective policies, enabling a more consistent and informed approach to mobile phone use across Wales. It will also help ensure that the use of personal devices aligns with the Welsh Government’s broader educational priorities and the Curriculum for Wales.

Prevention

Schools will be expected to have due regard to the new statutory guidance, increasing consistency and reducing the likelihood that restrictions are treated as optional, thereby supporting more uniform restrictions on mobile phones in schools across Wales.

Clear, consistent national guidance on mobile phone use in schools will help schools and local authorities develop well-defined, evidence-informed policies. This, in turn, will help minimise disruption to learning, promote positive behaviour, and reduce risks associated with misuse, including impacts on learner wellbeing and exposure to online harms.

A more consistent approach will enable schools to take preventative action, supporting the establishment of clear expectations for learners, staff, and parents or carers. This will help create supportive learning environments where mobile phone use does not detract from educational engagement or safety.

Integration

Schools and local authorities already have discretionary powers to develop and implement policies relating to learner behaviour, including mobile phones. The introduction of statutory guidance will not create a new duty, but will support and strengthen existing arrangements by providing a clearer national framework for decision-making.

The proposal will support delivery of the Welsh Government’s commitment to develop an integrated framework for supporting learner wellbeing, behaviour and engagement, recognising the interconnected nature of these issues. In addition, it aligns with wider UK policy developments aimed at strengthening protections for children and young people online, including measures to restrict social media use.

The education workforce will need to become familiar with the statutory guidance and how it should be applied within individual school contexts. The Welsh Government intend to provide guidance materials to support implementation, which is expected to deliver longer-term benefits through improved consistency, clarity of expectations, and a more coherent approach to mobile phone use within schools across Wales.

We believe this guidance proposal contributes to the 7 wellbeing goals outlined in The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act as follows:

1. A prosperous Wales.
2. A resilient Wales.
3. A healthier Wales.
4. A more equal Wales.
5. A Wales of more cohesive communities.
6. A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language.
7. A globally responsible Wales.

Collaboration

In 2025, the previous Welsh Government held a National Behaviour Summit. Following the Summit, in response to growing concerns from the education sector regarding the use of mobile phones in schools, a new national forum was established to co-design new national guidance to provide greater clarity and consistency. Forum members included:

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

Work was taken forward with the Forum from September 2025 to January 2026 to co-construct new guidance and supporting resources to help schools make informed decisions regarding mobile phones.

Involvement

To further support the preparation of new mobiles guidance and wider suite of resources for schools a national Survey of mobile phone use in schools: policies and impacts launched in March 2026. The survey asked the school workforce a range of questions to explore what mobile phone policies are already in place in schools, how they are managed, enforced and what challenges and facilitators practitioners have experienced in the development and implementation of their policy or guidance. The survey also asked how respondents thought Welsh Government should approach this issue at a national level.

Impact

In response to a national survey of the education workforce earlier this year, focused on mobile phone use in schools: policies and impacts, a large majority of respondents were seeking greater national direction, with 82.0% in favour of statutory restrictions on mobiles in schools.

We consider that the primary impact of this proposal is on learners, education settings, and wider stakeholders, including parents or carers. This underpins both the purpose of the consultation and the development of the statutory guidance.

We recognise that stakeholders may have differing perspectives on the impacts of restricting mobile phone use in schools. However, clearer and more consistent approaches to managing mobiles can support improved learning environments, promote positive behaviour, and enhance learner wellbeing. 

The guidance seeks to support schools and local authorities in their consideration and management of mobile phone use, while recognising that wider factors may also influence learner behaviour, wellbeing and educational experiences.

The consultation provides a meaningful opportunity to gather views from interested parties on the proposed guidance, including its practical application and any potential impacts that have not yet been identified. This feedback will help to ensure that the final guidance is evidence-informed, proportionate, and responsive to the needs of those it is intended to support. 

The consultation on the new guidance will run for 12 weeks from 9 September, 2026. We welcome responses to the consultation questions from members of the public, including those across the education sector.

Welsh Language

A Welsh Language Impact Assessment has been undertaken, with the guidance assessed as having a low to neutral impact on the Welsh language.

There is no direct impact on the Welsh language or on Welsh culture arising from the introduction of restrictions on the use of mobile phones in schools. The guidance is intended to apply consistently across all schools in Wales and does not differentiate on the basis of language medium.

Costs and Savings

We do not anticipate any significant additional costs to the Welsh Government to deliver this consultation exercise. 

Furthermore, there are no additional financial implications associated with stakeholder engagement or the post consultation activity associated with refining and publishing the new statutory guidance. These activities will be undertaken by officials from the Welsh Government, as part of their existing roles.

However, there may be a minimal cost in appointing an external company to undertake the review of the consultation responses and prepare the summary report, subject to the volume of responses.

How have people most likely to be affected by the proposal been involved in developing it?

Given the nature of the proposal, targeted engagement was undertaken primarily with education stakeholders responsible for implementing the guidance. The guidance was co-constructed with a national Mobile Phones in Schools Forum, convened between September 2025 and January 2026. Forum members included:

• School leaders and practitioners.
• Local authorities.
• Professional associations.
• Third sector organisations.
• Researchers and academics.

The guidance was further considered at a Head teacher Roundtable and a Ministerial Headteacher Advisory Group (MHAG) Meetings held in February 2026.

The needs and interests of children and young people, learners with protected characteristics, Welsh speakers and other affected groups were considered through existing evidence, research findings, stakeholder feedback and relevant policy expertise during the development process.

What are the most significant impacts, positive and negative?

The guidance is expected to have a range of positive impacts for the people and communities of Wales by supporting schools to develop clear, consistent and locally appropriate approaches to manage mobile phone use. 

Feedback from education stakeholders highlighted concerns about the impact of mobile phones on learning, behaviour, wellbeing and social interactions, while also recognising the need for sufficient flexibility to reflect individual learner needs and local circumstances. The guidance responds to these themes by providing a national framework that supports schools in developing policies suited to their own contexts.

The most significant anticipated benefits relate to improvements in school culture, learner wellbeing and educational engagement. By reducing unnecessary distractions during the school day, the guidance is expected to contribute to calmer learning environments and a stronger focus on teaching and learning. 

Potentially, this can support improved learner engagement, participation and attendance, helping learners to maximise educational opportunities. The guidance is also intended to reduce harmful online interactions in schools, including cyberbullying, the filming and sharing of incidents without consent, and the circulation of inappropriate content. This is expected to contribute to safer and more respectful school environments for learners and staff.

The guidance may also strengthen social interaction and relationship-building by encouraging greater face-to-face communication between learners during the school day. This has the potential to support the development of social and communication skills, improve peer relationships and foster a stronger sense of belonging within school communities. By reducing exposure to online pressures and distractions while at school, the guidance may also support improved learner wellbeing and reduced stress for some children and young people.

Benefits are also expected for the school workforce. Clearer expectations and more consistent approaches to managing mobile phone use may help reduce the number of incidents requiring staff intervention, decreasing workload associated with addressing misuse of mobile phones and online behaviours during the school day. This may contribute to reduced stress and improved wellbeing for school leaders, teachers and support staff.

The guidance supports a number of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 well-being goals, including A Prosperous Wales through supporting educational engagement and achievement; A Healthier Wales through its potential contribution to learner and staff wellbeing; A More Equal Wales through recognition that schools may need to make reasonable adjustments or exemptions for some learners; and A Wales of Cohesive Communities by promoting positive relationships, respect and inclusion within school settings. The guidance also supports the Welsh Government's well-being objectives relating to raising standards, reducing educational inequalities and promoting learner wellbeing.

No significant adverse impacts on Welsh language and culture have been identified. The guidance applies equally to Welsh-medium, bilingual and English-medium schools and does not affect opportunities to use or develop the Welsh language. Similarly, no significant impacts on the economy or environment are anticipated, as the guidance does not require additional infrastructure, generate significant costs, or result in changes to land use, transport or resource consumption.

Compared with the current position, where approaches to mobile phone use vary considerably between schools, the guidance is expected to provide greater clarity and consistency while retaining local flexibility. This should help schools create safe, inclusive and effective learning environments that support positive behaviour, wellbeing and educational outcomes.

In light of the impacts identified, how will the proposal maximise contribution to our well-being objectives and the seven well-being goals and (or) avoid, reduce or mitigate any negative impacts?

Potential negative impacts associated with restrictions on mobile phone use have been mitigated through the flexible nature of the guidance. Rather than requiring schools to adopt a single approach, the guidance allows schools to determine policies that reflect local circumstances and individual learner needs. This flexibility is intended to reduce the risk of disproportionate impacts on particular groups of learners while maintaining the overall aim of improving learning, wellbeing and school culture. As no significant adverse impacts have been identified through policy development or stakeholder engagement, no further mitigation measures are currently considered necessary. However, feedback from schools and stakeholders will continue to inform implementation and any future review of the guidance.

How will the impact of the proposal be monitored and evaluated as it progresses and when it concludes?

The impact of the guidance will be monitored through ongoing engagement with key stakeholders, including schools, local authorities, teaching unions and children and young people. Feedback will be used to identify any implementation issues and areas where further support may be required.

The Welsh Government will also consider relevant evidence relating to learner behaviour, wellbeing, attendance, safeguarding and school culture aligned to a wider 100 Day Plan Commitment to develop an integrated framework focused on these interconnected issues. 

Particular attention will be paid to whether the guidance is operating as intended and whether any groups of learners are experiencing disproportionate impacts.

The guidance will therefore be kept under review and updated, where appropriate, in light of emerging evidence, stakeholder feedback and changes in policy or practice.

Formal evaluation will be taken into consideration following full implementation from September 2027. In the interim, the Welsh Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness and impact of the guidance through ongoing stakeholder engagement and review processes.