Story by Lettice Bromovsky

‘The Tories will push for a ban on smartphones in schools to be included in the Government’s education Bill.

The Conservatives are tabling an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to end the use of mobile phones and other devices during school days by pupils.

It is understood that the Labour Government has no plans to legislate on banning phones in schools, and the Department for Education said schools are already able to decide how to prohibit the use of phones.

Under former prime minister Rishi Sunak, the then-Conservative government issued non-statutory guidance to schools in England intended to stop the use of mobile phones during break and lunch periods in schools, as well as in lessons.

The Tories are now tabling an amendment to a Labour Bill in a bid to stop pupils using mobile phones and devices during the school day.

It would mandate that all schools in England put a policy in place that applies from the start of the day’s first lesson to the end of the last.

Schools would decide how to implement the ban and there would be flexibility for sixth forms and residential or boarding schools.

It comes as several leading educational figures, including the woman dubbed the nation’s strictest head teacher, have called on the British government to implement a smartphone ban for students during school hours.’

Download full news report here: Tories pile pressure on Keir Starmer to roll out school smartphone ban