AUDIO

Schools Plan Stronger Phone Rules

Schools in England are being urged to keep mobile phones out of students’ reach throughout the school day. On November 10, the Department for Education announced plans to strengthen its guidance. Asking students to keep phones silent inside their bags would no longer be enough under the proposed approach. Schools could collect devices each morning, provide secure storage or use lockable pouches. Some schools already use these methods. A department survey found that only 16 percent of secondary students said their school’s phone rules were followed all the time. The revised guidance is expected to take effect in September 2027. The aim is to reduce distractions and give students more time to learn and talk face to face.

However, stronger rules bring practical questions. School leaders say that buying pouches or providing storage will require extra funding. Collecting and returning hundreds of phones could also take time. Parents may want to contact their children directly when travel plans change. Schools would therefore need clear ways for families to pass on urgent messages. Some students may need exceptions, for example if they use a phone to manage a health condition. There is also a wider debate about responsibility. Keeping phones out of reach may make lessons easier to manage, but students still need to learn how to control their own screen use. Schools must decide how to protect learning time while helping young people build independence.

—

Chat

Talk about these words from the article.

out of reach / throughout / guidance / proposed approach / secure storage / lockable pouches / survey / secondary students / distractions / face to face / funding / urgent messages / exceptions / responsibility / independence

—

Discussion

1. What phone rules did your school have, and how did students respond?

2. Where should students keep their phones during the school day?

3. How might a phone-free school day change friendships?

4. How should parents contact their children during school hours?

5. Who should pay for phone storage, and why?

6. What reasons would justify an exception to a school’s phone rules?

7. How can schools help students control their screen use?

8. What phone rules would be useful in your workplace or English class?