England Schools Phone-Free Policy

England's Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has written to headteachers advocating for schools to be entirely phone-free throughout the school day, including during lessons, break times, and lunch. This follows updated guidance from the United Kingdom government stressing that pupils should not have access to their devices during school hours. The United Kingdom — Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will also take action on children's social media use, directing United Kingdom — Ofsted to examine schools' mobile phone policies. The United Kingdom government has launched a consultation on implementing an Australian-style social media ban for under-16s, exploring options such as raising the digital age of consent and restricting addictive app features. Ministers plan to visit Australia as part of this consultation. While 99.9% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools already have mobile phone policies, data shows significant unauthorized use in secondary schools. The National Association of Head Teachers, through Paul Whiteman, has called for government support rather than heavy-handed inspection.