Phillipson dismisses Conservative call for school phone ban law

Education secretary calls the proposals a ‘headline-grabbing gimmick’
28th January 2025, 11:41am

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Phillipson dismisses Conservative call for school phone ban law

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/phillipson-dismisses-conservative-call-school-phone-ban-law
Phillipson on mobile phone ban

The education secretary has rejected Conservative Party plans to bring in a new law to ban phones in classrooms, calling them a “headline-grabbing gimmick”.

During education questions in the House of Commons yesterday, Bridget Phillipson told MPs that she agreed that mobile phones should not be in lessons, but added the opposition was wrong to say it could only be done by introducing legislation.

Non-statutory guidance published in February last year under the previous Conservative government already calls on schools in England to ban phones in lessons and during break and lunch times.

And Teacher Tapp findings from a 2023 survey showed that only one per cent of schools allow the use of mobile phones at any time, and six per cent of secondaries allow them at breaks and lunch.

The vast majority - 80 per cent - banned them outright, did not permit their use during the school day, or only allowed them when specifically permitted by teachers.

The Conservative party said last week that it would table an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would require the government to ban phones in classrooms.

Shadow education secretary Laura Trott asked Ms Phillipson whether she would support her party’s plans.

Ms Trott said: “We know that smartphones in the classroom have a negative impact on reading and educational attainment of children in general.

“When in government, we issued guidance to try to ban smartphones in the classroom, but the latest evidence is clear that they are still far too prevalent in schools. So, to fix the problem, guidance needs to be put on a statutory footing.

“Does the education secretary agree that children’s education outcomes are negatively affected by smartphones, and if she does, will she back our amendment to ban them from the classroom?”

Ms Phillipson referenced the previous government’s approach to phones inside schools and said nothing had changed. “I agree that phones have no place in the classroom. It is entirely right that schools take firm action to stop their use, and I know that that is what the vast majority of schools already do,” Ms Phillipson said.

“As (Ms Trott) just said, last July, they said that they didn’t need to legislate in this area. Nothing has changed in this time. I back the approach that they took in July in this area. Yet again, another headline-grabbing gimmick. No plans to drive up standards in our schools.”

Academies assurances

Ms Phillipson also told MPs the academies movement will “continue to flourish” despite a letter from the children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza which said the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill would lead to children being in failing schools for longer.

Ms Trott and Tory whip Nick Timothy referenced the letter sent by Dame Rachel to MPs, which said she could not support the plans as they stood. The Bill includes the removal of the requirement for failing schools to be automatically converted into academies.

Before taking on her position, Dame Rachel was co-founder and chief executive of the Inspiration Trust - a multi-academy trust with 17 primary and secondary schools in Norfolk and north Suffolk. It also has five sixth forms.

In written evidence for the bill, she said: “I am deeply concerned that we are legislating against the things we know work in schools, and that we risk children spending longer in failing schools by slowing down the pace of school improvement.”

Replying to Ms Trott, Ms Phillipson said: “It was a Labour government that created the academies movement, and a Labour government will ensure they continue to flourish. But the party opposite left 1,000 failing schools which continued to let down more than 400,000 children year after year. We will intervene more rapidly and more effectively to turn it around.”

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