School phone policies in England a ‘huge drain’ on staff resources – study

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Sally Weale Education correspondentFebruary 11, 2026 at 12:30 AM

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A recent study by Birmingham University reveals that school smartphone policies in England, both restrictive and permissive, place a significant burden on staff resources. The research, published in the British Medical Journal, found that schools spend an average of over 100 hours weekly enforcing phone policies, involving teachers, assistants, and other staff. This finding comes after the government issued guidance advising schools to be phone-free, with Ofsted set to inspect implementation. The study, analyzing data from 20 schools, showed restrictive policies require phones to be turned off and hidden, while permissive policies allow use during breaks. Researchers suggest this time spent managing phone use could be redirected to wellbeing-promoting activities. A teaching union has urged the government to introduce a statutory requirement for schools to lock away pupils' mobile phones for the whole school day.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Ofsted 60% University of Birmingham 60% Miranda Pallan 60% British Medical Journal 60% Birmingham University 70% NASUWT 70% Victoria Goodyear 70% United Kingdom ×290%

Keywords

school phone policies 100% staff resources 90% smartphone use 80% restrictive policies 70% permissive policies 70% teacher workload 60% secondary schools 50% mobile phones 50% statutory requirement 40%