Mobile Phones in Schools: What the New September 2026 Rules Mean for Parents

From September 2026, schools across England are expected to be mobile-phone-free throughout the school day. For many families, however, that has raised almost as many questions as it answers.

Does this mean children are no longer allowed to take a phone to school at all? What happens if your child walks or catches a bus home alone and you want them to have a phone for safety? Are smartwatches included? Can the school confiscate a phone? And what happens when a child needs access to technology because of a disability, SEND or a medical condition?

As a parent of secondary-school-aged children, these are the practical details I am far more interested in than simply being told that phones are “banned”.

The rules also aren’t quite as straightforward as some of the headlines suggest. The Department for Education’s guidance became statutory on 29 June 2026, and schools in England were expected to begin following it from 1 September 2026. It says schools in England should be mobile-phone-free by default throughout lessons, between lessons, at breaktimes and during lunch.

That doesn’t necessarily mean your child cannot carry a phone to and from school. Individual schools still decide how their policy works, and the government guidance specifically recognises concerns around children travelling independently as well as circumstances where pupils may need access to a phone because of disability, SEND, medical needs or their individual situation.

So, if you’ve received a new mobile phone policy from your child’s school this term — or you’re wondering whether buying them a basic “brick phone” might make school life easier — here’s what parents actually need to know about the new rules.

The short answer: Mobile phones haven’t been completely banned from school premises in England. From September 2026, schools should be mobile-phone-free throughout the school day, but individual schools decide how phones are stored and can make exceptions for SEND, disabilities, medical needs and other individual circumstances. Children may still be able to carry a phone for travelling to and from school.

What are the new mobile phone rules for schools from September 2026?

From 1 September 2026, schools in England are expected to follow statutory Department for Education guidance on mobile phones.

The key principle is simple: schools should be mobile-phone-free by default throughout the entire school day.

That doesn’t just mean children shouldn’t use their phones during lessons. School policies are expected to prohibit their use:

• during lessons
• between lessons
• at breaktime
• at lunchtime

The guidance also covers other smart technology with similar functions to a mobile phone. For example, schools can include devices capable of receiving messages or notifications, or recording audio and video, within their policy. This means a smartwatch may not necessarily be a way around your child’s school’s phone rules.

However, there’s an important distinction for parents to understand.

The government hasn’t simply said that every child is forbidden from bringing a mobile phone onto school premises.

Schools still decide how they will create a phone-free environment. Some may require phones to be switched off and kept in bags or lockers, while others may collect or securely store phones during the school day.

The Department for Education even gives an example of a secondary school where pupils put their switched-off phones into lockable pouches that remain with them until the end of the day. This allows children to have their phones available for the journey to and from school while preventing their use during school hours.

So, before telling your child they can no longer take their phone to school, check your own school’s updated mobile phone policy. What your child is allowed to bring with them — and where that phone has to stay during the day — may differ from one school to another.

Can my child still take a phone to school?

Potentially, yes. The new guidance does not automatically prevent children from bringing a mobile phone to school.

The important distinction is between bringing a phone to school and using a phone during the school day.

The Department for Education expects schools in England to prohibit pupils from using mobile phones throughout the school day, but individual schools decide how they achieve this. Depending on your child’s school, they might be allowed to bring a phone provided it is switched off and kept somewhere such as:

• inside their school bag
• in a locker
• in a secure phone pouch
• in another designated storage area

Some schools may take a stricter approach, so it’s important to check your child’s own mobile phone policy rather than assuming the rules will be identical everywhere.

What about children who travel to school independently?

This is one of my biggest considerations as a parent.

As children get older, many begin walking, cycling or catching public transport to and from school without an adult. Having a phone means they can contact us if a bus doesn’t arrive, they miss their lift, feel unsafe or their plans unexpectedly change.

Thankfully, having a phone available for the journey doesn’t necessarily conflict with having a phone-free school day.

One of the approaches highlighted by the Department for Education involves pupils switching their phones off and placing them into lockable pouches for the duration of the school day. The children retain possession of the pouch, but cannot access their phone until it is unlocked at the end of the day.

For our family, this is also why I have been looking at basic phones rather than assuming our children need to take smartphones to school. If the main reason for carrying a phone is simply to be able to call or text home while travelling, a basic or “brick phone” can potentially do everything they actually need it to do without giving them access to social media, games and other smartphone distractions during the school day.

I’ll come back to whether buying a brick phone specifically for school is worthwhile later in this guide.

What happens to phones during the school day?

There isn’t one nationwide system for storing pupils’ phones. Schools can decide how best to create a mobile-phone-free environment, so the arrangements at your child’s school may be different from those at another school.

Possible approaches include asking pupils to:

• switch their phone off and store it in a locker
• hand their phone to a member of staff when they arrive
• keep their switched-off phone inside a designated pouch
• use a lockable phone pouch that cannot be opened until the end of the school day

The important part of the new guidance is that pupils shouldn’t have access to their mobile phones throughout the school day.

For parents, there are pros and cons to the different systems. Having phones handed in removes the temptation to check them, but schools then have potentially hundreds of expensive devices to store securely. Lockable pouches allow children to keep their own phone with them while preventing access to it.

The Department for Education has highlighted a secondary school using this approach where pupils put their switched-off phones into lockable pouches which stay with them throughout the day. The pouches can then be opened at the end of school, meaning pupils have their phones again when travelling home.

Whatever system your child’s school chooses, it should clearly explain its mobile phone policy to both pupils and parents, including where phones should be kept and what happens if a child breaks the rules.

It’s therefore worth reading the policy your school sends home rather than relying on what children at another school are allowed to do. The overall expectation may now be the same across England, but the practical arrangements won’t necessarily be.

Can schools confiscate mobile phones?

Yes. Schools can confiscate a mobile phone or similar device if a pupil breaks the school’s mobile phone policy.

For example, if your child’s school requires phones to remain switched off and their phone rings inside their bag, the Department for Education specifically gives this as an example of when confiscation could be used.

Schools can also use other sanctions, including detention, depending on their behaviour policy and the circumstances.

How long can a school keep a child’s phone?

There isn’t a single national rule saying that a confiscated phone must always be returned at the end of the school day.

The Department for Education says headteachers can confiscate mobile phones for whatever length of time they consider proportionate. When deciding what is reasonable, however, schools should consider why the phone is being confiscated, whether another sanction could achieve the same result and the individual circumstances of the pupil.

That last point is particularly important for families of children with SEND.

A school should take circumstances such as a pupil’s age and SEND into account when deciding whether confiscation is a proportionate sanction. There may also be situations where a child’s disability, medical needs or other individual circumstances mean the school’s usual phone rules need to be adapted.

If your child relies on their phone for an agreed reason, I wouldn’t wait until they accidentally break the policy to raise it. Speak to the school beforehand and make sure any necessary arrangements or reasonable adjustments are clearly understood by your child and the staff working with them.

It’s also worth checking the school’s behaviour and mobile phone policies so that both you and your child know what will happen if the rules are broken.

Are there exceptions for children with SEND, disabilities or medical needs?

Yes. Although schools are expected to be mobile-phone-free by default, the new guidance specifically recognises that some children may need access to a phone because of a disability, medical condition, SEND or their individual circumstances.

This is an important distinction. A phone-free policy shouldn’t simply override the support a child needs in order to access school safely and fairly.

Reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils

Schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled pupil would otherwise be placed at a substantial disadvantage.

In some circumstances, allowing a child access to their mobile phone could form part of that reasonable adjustment.

That doesn’t necessarily mean they would have unrestricted access to their phone all day. Instead, the school might agree that they can use it for a particular purpose, at particular times or in a designated place.

What about medical conditions?

There are also clear exceptions where a mobile phone forms part of managing a child’s health.

One example specifically mentioned by the Department for Education is diabetes. Some children use continuous glucose monitors connected to a smartphone to monitor their blood sugar levels. Where a phone enables a pupil to manage their medical condition effectively, the guidance says it would not be reasonable for the school to prevent that use.

The same principle is important for other health technology or individual medical needs where access to a device is genuinely necessary.

What about children with SEND?

SEND doesn’t automatically mean that a child is exempt from the school’s mobile phone policy. However, schools should consider each pupil’s individual circumstances and their existing legal duties.

For some children, technology may be used as an accessibility or communication tool. Others may have particular needs that mean the standard policy requires an adjustment.

The Department for Education also advises schools to communicate directly with parents of pupils who may require an adaptation or reasonable adjustment so that an appropriate plan can be developed together.

If you think your child needs access to their phone because of SEND, disability or another specific need, I would speak to their SENCO or pastoral team rather than simply telling your child to keep their phone with them against school rules.

Ideally, the arrangement should be agreed in advance so your child knows exactly when and where they can use their device and staff understand why they have permission to do so.

Other individual circumstances

Medical conditions and disabilities aren’t the only situations schools can consider.

The guidance recognises that some pupils may need access to a mobile phone because of circumstances outside school and specifically mentions young carers as one example.

This is why I think it’s important to look beyond headlines describing the new rules as a blanket “phone ban”. The starting point is that pupils shouldn’t have access to their phones during the school day, but there is still room — and in some circumstances a legal requirement — for schools to consider the needs of individual children.

Are smartwatches banned in schools too?

Potentially, yes. The new guidance isn’t limited to traditional mobile phones.

The Department for Education says schools should also consider other smart and communications technology with similar functionality to a mobile phone. This can include devices that are able to send or receive messages and notifications, or record audio or video.

That means a smartwatch capable of receiving messages or calls shouldn’t automatically be considered a loophole in your child’s school’s mobile phone policy.

However, the exact rules will depend on the policy adopted by your child’s school. The guidance allows schools to decide which communications and smart technology their policy covers, so it’s worth checking whether smartwatches are specifically mentioned.

If your child wears a smartwatch purely for telling the time, fitness tracking or another reason, I would still check before sending them into school wearing it.

As with mobile phones, there may also be circumstances where a smartwatch or other connected device forms part of a child’s medical or accessibility needs. In those cases, parents should discuss the child’s individual requirements with the school rather than assuming the device is automatically prohibited.

What about safety when children travel to and from school?

For many parents, the biggest concern about restricting phones at school isn’t what happens during lessons — it’s what happens before and after them.

As children become more independent, they may walk or cycle to school, catch a bus, change buses or make their own way home after clubs. I want my children to be able to contact me if something goes wrong, particularly if plans change unexpectedly or they feel unsafe.

A phone-free school day doesn’t necessarily mean giving up that reassurance.

The Department for Education recognises that pupils may need their phones while travelling to and from school. This is one reason some schools allow children to bring a phone onto the premises but require it to be switched off, stored away or secured in a locked pouch throughout the school day.

That feels like an important distinction to me. There is a big difference between allowing a teenager to scroll through social media at lunchtime and allowing them to carry a switched-off phone so they can call home if their bus doesn’t turn up after school.

Are there disadvantages to a complete phone ban?

There is also an interesting debate around whether the strictest possible approach is always the best solution.

Research published by UCL in June 2026 found strong support for school smartphone restrictions among the parents and teachers surveyed, but much less support among young people themselves.

Researchers warned that overly simplistic blanket bans could have unintended consequences. Concerns included children’s safety while travelling independently and the possibility that removing phones entirely from school could make it harder for pupils to report or discuss online problems that involve classmates.

None of that means children need unrestricted smartphone access throughout the school day.

For me, it highlights the need for a sensible middle ground: children shouldn’t be distracted by phones during school, but parents also need to think about why their child carries a phone in the first place.

If that reason is primarily safety and communication on the journey to and from school, the answer might not be a smartphone at all. A simple phone capable of calling and texting could provide the reassurance families want without many of the distractions schools are trying to remove.

Should I buy my child a brick phone for school?

If the main reason your child takes a phone to school is so they can contact you on the journey there and back, a basic or “brick phone” could be worth considering.

This is actually the solution we’ve chosen for our boys.

Rather than sending them to school with their usual smartphones, we’ve bought them Nokia 105 2G phones specifically for school, each with an Asda Mobile £4 PAYG SIM.

For us, the reasoning was simple. They don’t need social media, games, YouTube or constant internet access while they’re at school. What I do want is for them to be able to call or text me if they miss a bus, plans change or they need help while travelling independently.

Their basic phones give us that reassurance without many of the distractions that come with carrying a smartphone.

Interestingly, this isn’t just something parents are considering. One of the Department for Education’s own school case studies features a secondary school that has begun phasing smartphones out completely. Year 7 pupils at the school are only permitted to bring what it describes as a “simple” or “brick” phone, with the policy gradually extending to each new intake.

What should you look for in a school phone?

If you’re considering buying a basic phone specifically for school, I would look for:

• calls and standard SMS text messaging
• good battery life
• something small and lightweight
• a phone that isn’t particularly expensive to replace
• a simple interface your child can use easily
• a suitable low-cost SIM
• whether you would be better choosing a 4G model for greater longevity

We chose the Nokia 105 2G because it suited what our boys need their school phones for, but if I were buying a basic phone that needed to last for many years, I would also compare the available 4G models. We paid for these ourselves and this isn’t a sponsored recommendation — it’s simply the solution we’ve chosen for our family.

For us, the point wasn’t to find an exciting phone. In fact, that’s almost the opposite of what I wanted.

I wanted something the boys could put in their school bags and largely forget about. It needs to be there if they genuinely need to contact us, but it doesn’t need to provide entertainment throughout the day.

A brick phone won’t suit every child

Of course, switching to a basic phone isn’t the right solution for everyone.

Some children genuinely rely on smartphone technology for accessibility, medical monitoring or other individual needs. Older teenagers may also need smartphone functions before or after school for things such as travel information, tickets or coordinating activities.

Whether a brick phone is treated differently from a smartphone depends entirely on your child’s school policy. Some schools may apply the same restrictions to both, while others specifically permit simple phones but not smartphones.

But where children are permitted to carry a switched-off phone for travelling to and from school, I think the humble brick phone suddenly makes a lot of sense again.

It gives our boys a way to contact us when they need to without putting an expensive, internet-connected smartphone in their pockets every morning.

What if I need to contact my child during the school day?

One adjustment for parents may be getting used to the idea that we can’t simply send our children a WhatsApp message or text during the school day and expect them to see it.

If you urgently need to contact your child, the school’s usual communication channels should still be available.

The Department for Education says schools should make sure parents understand how they can contact their child during the school day when necessary. In most cases, this is likely to mean contacting the school office, which can then pass an important message on to your child.

The same works the other way around. If your child becomes unwell or genuinely needs to contact you, the school should have a process that allows them to do so without needing unrestricted access to their own mobile phone.

Parents may need to change their habits too

I think this is one part of the new approach that will require a little adjustment from parents as well as children.

It’s become completely normal to message our teenagers throughout the day. We might remind them that we’re collecting them, tell them plans have changed or ask them to remember something on the way home.

With phones switched off or inaccessible during school hours, those messages may simply have to wait until the end of the school day.

For anything genuinely urgent, contact the school instead.

It may feel less convenient initially, but it also reinforces the purpose of the new rules: if children aren’t supposed to be checking their phones during lessons, breaks or lunchtimes, we probably shouldn’t be giving them reasons to check them either.

Do school mobile phone bans actually work?

There are understandable reasons for wanting mobile phones out of classrooms. Constant notifications, social media, messaging and the temptation to check a phone can all compete for children’s attention.

But does banning phones during the school day actually improve children’s wellbeing, behaviour and academic performance?

So far, the research suggests the answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no.

A major study involving 1,227 pupils aged 12 to 15 across 30 secondary schools in England compared schools with restrictive phone policies with those where recreational phone use was permitted at certain times.

Pupils at schools with restrictive policies spent less time on their phones and social media during school hours. However, researchers found no evidence that those policies were associated with better overall mental wellbeing, academic attainment, sleep, physical activity or classroom behaviour.

Importantly, restricting phones at school didn’t appear to reduce children’s overall phone or social media use across weekdays and weekends either.

There can still be benefits to a phone-free school day

That doesn’t mean removing phones from school has no benefits.

Further research published in 2026 found that pupils and staff at schools with restrictive policies reported benefits including more face-to-face interaction during the school day.

There were downsides too. Some pupils reported compensating for the time they couldn’t use their phones at school by using them more later, sometimes at the expense of things such as sleep or physical activity.

Researchers have therefore cautioned against treating a school phone ban as a “silver bullet” for children’s relationship with technology.

I think that’s an important point for parents.

Personally, I can see plenty of benefits to my boys not having smartphones available throughout the school day. I’d much rather they were talking to friends at lunchtime than sitting together scrolling through their phones.

But taking a smartphone away between the school gates doesn’t teach a child how to use technology responsibly when they get home.

Ultimately, I think these are two separate conversations. Schools can create an environment with fewer digital distractions during the school day, while we as parents still have a role to play in helping our children develop healthier habits around smartphones, gaming, social media and screen time outside school.

What should parents do about the new school phone rules?

If your child’s school has introduced or updated its mobile phone policy for September 2026, there are a few things worth checking now.

1. Read your school’s mobile phone policy

Don’t assume that the rules at your child’s school will be exactly the same as those at another school.

Check whether children are allowed to bring phones onto the premises, where they must be stored, whether they need to be switched off and what happens if the rules are broken.

It’s also worth checking whether the policy covers smartwatches and other connected devices.

2. Talk through the rules with your child

Make sure your child understands the difference between having a phone with them for travelling to and from school and being allowed to access it during the school day.

It’s particularly important that they understand the consequences of breaking the policy, including possible confiscation or detention.

3. Decide whether they actually need a smartphone at school

Think about why your child takes a phone to school.

If it’s mainly so they can call or text you while travelling independently, consider whether a basic phone could do the job instead.

That’s the decision we’ve made for our boys. We’ve bought them Nokia 105 2G phones with inexpensive Asda Mobile PAYG SIMs specifically for school. They can contact us when they need to, but they aren’t carrying all the distractions of their smartphones around with them.

4. Discuss any SEND, disability or medical needs with the school

If your child needs access to a phone or connected device because of SEND, a disability, medical monitoring, assistive technology or another individual circumstance, speak to the school.

Don’t assume they will automatically know what your child needs or that your child will be able to explain it themselves if challenged by a member of staff.

Where an adjustment is necessary, it is much better to have an agreed plan in place before a problem occurs.

5. Make sure your child knows what to do in an emergency

If their phone is inaccessible during school, make sure they know who to speak to if they need to contact you.

Likewise, save the school’s main telephone number in your own phone so you aren’t searching for it when something genuinely urgent happens.

6. Agree what happens at the end of the school day

If your child travels independently, agree when their phone can be switched back on and whether you expect them to contact you.

For example, you might agree that they send a quick message if their bus is delayed or their plans change, rather than expecting constant location updates.

The new rules don’t have to mean choosing between a phone-free school day and allowing children some independence. With a clear school policy and a family plan for before and after school, I think it’s possible to have both.

FAQs about mobile phones in schools

Finding the right balance for our children

As a parent, I can understand why schools want mobile phones out of the school day.

Smartphones are incredibly useful, but they’re also a constant source of notifications, messages, social media and distraction. If removing that distraction gives children more opportunity to concentrate in lessons and actually talk to each other during breaks, I can see the appeal.

At the same time, I don’t want my boys travelling independently without a way of contacting us if something goes wrong.

For our family, using basic Nokia 105 phones for school feels like a sensible compromise. The boys can call or text us on their journeys when they need to, but they don’t need their smartphones in their pockets throughout the school day.

Other families will have different needs, particularly where SEND, disability, medical conditions or assistive technology are involved. That’s why I think one of the most important parts of the new guidance is the recognition that individual circumstances still matter.

The headline might be that schools are becoming mobile-phone-free, but for parents the reality is more nuanced.

Check your child’s school policy, talk through the new expectations together and, if your child needs an adjustment, have that conversation with the school sooner rather than later.

Ultimately, I don’t think this needs to be a choice between protecting children from digital distractions and giving them the independence and reassurance that a phone can provide. With the right approach, we can do both.

Editor’s Note: This article was published in September 2026 following the introduction of statutory Department for Education guidance on mobile phones in schools in England. School policies can vary, so parents should always check their child’s current school policy, particularly where SEND, disability, medical needs or other individual circumstances are involved.