Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the use of smart phones on levels of disruption in classrooms.

Mobile phones have no place in schools.

The department’s new, stronger guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.

The guidance will be implemented through behaviour management in schools, and by setting out clear expectations for teachers and school staff, while our attendance and behaviour hub lead schools will support other schools to implement and enforce a mobile phone policy where needed.

For the first time, Ofsted will check school mobile phone policy on every inspection, with schools expected to be phone-free by default. Ofsted will examine both schools' mobile phone policies and how effectively they are implemented when judging behaviour during inspections.

In addition, a consultation will identify the next steps in the government’s plan to boost children’s wellbeing online.