Updated guidance aims to protect young people's
wellbeing.
On 19 January 2026, the government updated its guidance on the
use of mobile phones in schools. Revising the previous guidance
published in 2024, the new guidance states that 'all schools
should be mobile phone-free environments by default; anything other
than this should be by exception only.'
Although still non‑statutory, the expectations mark a
notable shift in how schools are expected to manage the use of
mobile devices. This tougher approach seems to go hand in hand with
the wider global conversation about how best to keep children safe
on social media.
Updates to the mobile phone guidance
The updated guidance sets the expectation that all schools in
England are to operate as mobile phone‑free environments for
the entire school day; prohibiting the use of mobile phones during
lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtimes. The
policy should also prohibit the use of other smart
