Ministers have rejected demands for a blanket ban on mobile phones in classrooms amid fears they are damaging educational standards.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has rejected a Tory call for tougher action to limit social media exposure, saying the plea was a ‘headline grabbing gimmick’.
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.
But the government says heads already have sufficient powers to remove phones from students.
Under former prime minister Rishi Sunak, they 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.
But they now say this did not go far enough and want the ban written into law.
Speaking in the Commons, shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: ‘We know that smartphones in the classroom have a negative impact on reading and educational attainment of children in general.
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.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has rejected a Tory call for tougher action to limit social media exposure, saying the plea was a ‘headline grabbing gimmick’.
Speaking in the Commons, shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: ‘We know that smartphones in the classroom have a negative impact on reading and educational attainment of children in general.
‘When in government, we issued guidance to try to ban smartphones in the classroom, but the latest evidence is clear that they are still far too prevalent in schools. So to fix the problem, guidance needs to be put on a statutory footing.
‘Does the Education Secretary agree that children’s education outcomes are negatively affected by smartphones, and if she does, will she back our amendment to ban them from the classroom?’
Ms Phillipson replied: ‘I agree that phones have no place in the classroom. It is entirely right that schools take firm action to stop their use, and I know that that is what the vast majority of schools already do.
‘As (Ms Trott) just said, last July, they said that they didn’t need to legislate in this area. Nothing has changed in this time. I back the approach that they took in July in this area.
‘Yet again, another headline grabbing gimmick. No plans to drive up standards in our schools.
Later Ms Trott hit back, saying: ‘There is growing evidence of the huge damage that social media is having on young people in the classroom, and the majority of schools don’t have a full ban, despite guidance.
‘It is a shame the Education Secretary can’t put politics aside and support our amendment.’
The Tory amendment 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.
