Permissive and restrictive mobile phone policies in secondary schools consume nearly identical amounts of teacher time, according to a new study from the University of Birmingham. The research, which analysed data from 20 schools, reveals that institutions allowing phone usage spend an average of 108 hours per week managing related incidents, while those with bans allocate slightly less at 102 hours weekly.
Time Allocation and Administrative Burdens
Schools with permissive policies, where recreational use is permitted during breaks, dedicate substantial time to recording phone-related incidents and providing staff with information and training. Conversely, restrictive schools, which ban recreational use throughout the school day, invest time in communicating with parents and issuing detentions to students who violate the rules.
The report notes that staff in restrictive schools spend less time on monitoring and administrative duties but more on applying behavioural sanctions for policy breaches. This nuanced distribution highlights the complex challenges educators face regardless of the approach taken.
Financial and Wellbeing Implications
The study also uncovered financial differences, with restrictive policies estimated to cost approximately £94 less per pupil annually due to reduced management time. However, the research found no clear link between restrictive phone policies and improved student mental wellbeing, based on data from Year 8 and Year 10 students.
Professor Victoria Goodyear, who led the study, emphasised that "school phone policies, whether permissive or restrictive, are a huge drain on a school to enforce." She added that the significant teacher time spent managing phone use could be diverted from other wellbeing-promoting activities.
Policy Context and Campaigner Reactions
The data was collected in 2022 and 2023, prior to the previous Conservative government issuing non-statutory guidance advising schools to ban phones. Since then, teaching leaders report increased implementation of bans, though persuading parents to comply remains challenging without legal backing.
Campaigners have renewed calls to make it illegal to bring smartphones into schools, arguing that leaving the issue to school heads is "an insane waste of teachers' time." Pete Montgomery, a parent campaigner, criticised the study as outdated, noting that the policies examined are no longer permitted under updated guidance.
Montgomery stated, "What it does show is that leaving it to schools to manage smartphones is an insane waste of teachers' time. It is time for the Government to finally make a popular decision and just ban smartphones from schools entirely." He highlighted that schools with comprehensive bans report transformational benefits, including reduced peer pressure for smartphone ownership.
Recent Developments and Legislative Actions
Last month, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson updated non-statutory guidance, mandating that phones be banned even during breaktimes. Additionally, peers recently voted through an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to include a legal ban, though this could be struck out in the Commons.
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at the NAHT school leaders’ union, commented, "Improved student wellbeing is just one potential benefit of banning phones in school. Most schools now have restrictions in place and report a range of benefits, from helping pupils focus on learning to shielding them from inappropriate online content and bullying."
The researchers concluded that more work is needed on the topic and that a blanket ban would not be a "silver bullet." They urged ongoing evaluation to balance enforcement efficiency with student welfare, as the debate over mobile phones in education continues to evolve.
