Ofsted to check phone policies and ‘tougher’ guidance coming
More from this theme Recent articles Ofsted will check every school’s policy on mobile phones during inspections and ministers will issue “tougher guidance for schools” on restricting the devices, the government has announced. Ministers will also consult on restrictions on “addictive features” in apps and on a potential ban on access to social media for children and better age checks. The government has said schools will be “expected to be phone-free by default thanks to today’s announcement”. The guidance will be non-statutory, meaning schools will not have a legal duty to follow it. However, the government’s consultation on the matter will consider whether leaders “should have a clear legal obligation to consider the guidance in setting and implementing mobile phone policies”, the DfE said. Existing non-statutory guidance states schools should develop phone policies that prohibit the use of phones and similar devices “throughout the school day”. This evening, the government said new guidance will “make it even clearer that schools need to be phone-free environments and that pupils should not have access to their devices …
