The English schools where smartphones are off limitspublished at 17:21 GMT

17:21 GMT

A close-up of hands holding smartphones, with one phone prominently in the centre being used. The setting appears to be a casual indoor environment, possibly a school cafeteria or common area, as there is a water bottle and blurred colourful objects in the background.

While the debate over children using social media continues, some schools in England have decided to ban students from using smartphones during the school day.

At Brannel School in Cornwall, each student slips their phone into a special pouch that locks until the end of the day. The phones stay with the pupils, but they are out of reach.

Head teacher Tristan Muller-Forster said the system tackled what he called “mobile fatigue”.

At Chulmleigh College in Devon, phones can be brought in but they cannot be seen or heard. Break the rule and you risk losing your phone for weeks.

Eight primary schools in Shropshire have also decided to ban smartphones from September 2026. Students at the schools, run by the Empower Multi-Academy Trust, will not be able take their devices into the building.

However, they will be allowed to bring in a basic mobile phone, like a flip-phone, which will be locked away during the day.

Several schools in the south of England are also now only allowing so-called brick phones to prevent children from accessing the internet, apps or cameras.