Lynne Neagle MS, Cabinet Secretary for Education
The impacts of social media on our children and young people are a matter of significant concern to me and to this government. Schools and parents have been raising their concerns about the significant influence that technology and mobile phones can have on the health, wellbeing, and learning experiences of our children and young people.
Currently, decisions on mobile phone use during the school day rest with individual schools and governing bodies. Headteachers have the power to ban or restrict the use of devices, and I know from the discussions I have had with headteachers from across Wales that many of them have chosen to do so.
I continue to believe that schools are best placed to make these decisions, based on how technology is used in their setting and the needs of their learners. However, I also recognise that this is an area where our schools are increasingly seeking national direction.
Following the 2025 Behaviour Summit and drawing on the recommendations of the Senedd Petitions Committee, I established a dedicated practitioner and stakeholder Forum on mobile phone use in schools. The Forum has recently completed a first draft of new guidance to support schools to develop and introduce a mobile phone policy that is appropriate for their school.
My aim has always been to strike the right balance in supporting schools to minimise the impact of mobile phones on learning and pupil wellbeing, while still maintaining local flexibility. To ensure this guidance is robust, practical, and reflective of the sector’s needs, I have committed to a programme of engagement with the sector in the period ahead of the election, with a full public consultation on the final guidance after the election to enable publication before the new school year.
Today, I am launching a national survey of the education workforce to further explore existing mobile phone policies, the rationale behind them, and their impact. I encourage all schools to take part. The findings will directly support us in refining the draft guidance and ensure that future steps are evidence based and fully reflect what works best for our learners and schools in Wales.
Alongside this, my officials will be discussing the draft guidance with schools, the education workforce unions, local authorities and most importantly with children and young people. I look forward to hearing their views.
In the meantime, I want to place on record my support for any school that seeks to introduce a policy restricting the use of mobile phones, in the interests of protecting learners and improving their engagement in lessons.