We believe schools cannot meet statutory safeguarding duties under ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ while allowing students to carry smartphones. Smartphones pose risks including distraction, sharing harmful content, cyberbullying, and non-consensual photos and recording of students and staff.

We ask for a clear distinction between non-internet mobile phones and smartphones - with reference to smartphones the removal of the option d ‘never used, seen or heard’ as statutory guidance, unless a medical need. We ask that schools list smartphones as a prohibited item and allow only basic non-internet phones for parent contact where necessary. We believe the current guidance is unenforceable, compromises student safety and undermines a schools’ ability to uphold their legal duties.