Mobile phone policy
The school's policy on prohibiting mobile phones during the school day, how it is implemented and any sanctions, any sixth form arrangements, and that phones may be searched for. Schools should publish it.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When is it due?
- Renewal
- No fixed date
The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What's needed
Publish the mobile phone policy for pupils on the policies page.
What it must contain
5 parts- Says mobile phones are prohibitedShould
- Says how the policy is implemented and any sanctions for breaking itShould
- Says whether sixth form students may access their phone at certain times and locationsShould
- Says mobile phones are prohibited throughout the teaching day at boarding or residential schoolsShould
- Says mobile phones may be searched for under the behaviour policyShould
What the official sources say
Set out in 2 official sources:
Mobile phones in schools (statutory guidance)
Schools should publish details of the school’s policy on prohibiting the use of mobile phones.
Should§ Communicating the policy to pupils and parents
A school’s policy on prohibiting the use of mobile phones can be included within the school’s behaviour policy or be its own standalone document. The policy should be accessible, aligned with the school’s culture, consistent and straightforward to follow.
Should§ Implementing a policy on prohibiting the use of mobile phones
Show 4 more from this source
School leaders should ensure that all staff, pupils and parents are familiar with the policy, how it is implemented and any sanctions for breaching it.
Should§ Communicating the policy to pupils and parents
Schools should consider whether students in the sixth form should be permitted access to their mobile phone at certain and limited times and locations, reflecting this period of education as one of increased independence and responsibility, without compromising the school’s policy on the use of mobile phones for other pupils.
Should§ Prohibiting the use of mobile phones in school
Boarding schools and residential schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones throughout the teaching day. They should develop appropriate policies regarding the use of mobile phones during the rest of their pupils’ time at school, which safeguards and promotes the welfare of the children in their care in accordance with the boarding schools: national minimum standards and residential special schools: national minimum standards .
Should§ Prohibiting the use of mobile phones in school
Headteachers can and should identify mobile phones and similar devices as something that may be searched for in their school behaviour policy.
Should§ Searching pupils
Communicating your policy for prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools to parents
Maintained schools, academies, non-maintained special schools, and independent schools should publish details of the school’s policy on prohibiting the use of mobile phones, either within the existing behaviour policy (which, for maintained schools, other than hospital schools and pupil referral units, must be published on the school website or, if the school has no website, another website parents can access) [footnote 5] . or as its own standalone document.
Should§ Methods of communication with parents
Questions schools ask
Does every school have to publish the mobile phone policy?
The official sources we check set no requirement for academies. The official sources we check set no requirement for maintained schools.
When does the mobile phone policy need to be published?
Renewal: No fixed date. The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What must the mobile phone policy include?
Says mobile phones are prohibited; Says how the policy is implemented and any sanctions for breaking it; Says whether sixth form students may access their phone at certain times and locations; Says mobile phones are prohibited throughout the teaching day at boarding or residential schools; Says mobile phones may be searched for under the behaviour policy.
Where does the requirement for the mobile phone policy come from?
It is set out in Mobile phones in schools (statutory guidance) and Communicating your policy for prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools to parents.
Changes to the official sources
Dated change notes published by the Department for Education on the sources above.
28 June 2026 · Communicating your policy for prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools to parents
This guidance on 'Mobile phones in schools' became statutory on 29 June 2026. Schools should begin following it from 1 September 2026.
28 June 2026 · Mobile phones in schools (statutory guidance)
This guidance on 'Mobile phones in schools' became statutory on 29 June 2026. Schools should begin following it from 1 September 2026.
19 February 2026 · Communicating your policy for prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools to parents
Updated the landing page to state which institutions the guidance does not apply to.
19 February 2026 · Mobile phones in schools (statutory guidance)
Updated the landing page to state which institutions the guidance does not apply to.
19 January 2026 · Communicating your policy for prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools to parents
We have updated the guidance on 'Mobile phones in schools', replaced the 'Mobile phones in schools: toolkit for schools' with 'Communicating your policy for prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools to parents' and added additional case studies.
19 January 2026 · Mobile phones in schools (statutory guidance)
We have updated the guidance on 'Mobile phones in schools', replaced the 'Mobile phones in schools: toolkit for schools' with 'Communicating your policy for prohibiting the use of mobile phones in schools to parents' and added additional case studies.
2 earlier changes are listed on the source pages.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
Is this on your school's website?
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Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4