Another Labour U-turn as phones to be banned by law in schools

Labour was accused of another U-turn tonight after it was announced ministers will seek to change the law to enforce phone bans in England's schools.

The Government will introduce an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to make existing guidance on mobile phone bans in schools statutory.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has previously written to head teachers in England to stress that schools should be phone-free throughout the entire school day.

But the guidance to schools on mobile phones has been non-statutory. Teaching union NASUWT has previously announced its support for a statutory school phone ban.

Baroness Smith of Malvern, an education minister, told the House of Lords on Monday that the Government had 'listened to' headteachers' concerns about phones in schools.

'We recognise the strength of feeling on this issue, both in this House and beyond,' she said.

'Notwithstanding the fact that we think the guidance we already have in place provides headteachers and schools with a range of approaches to be able to deliver the objective that we all share, we are committing to tabling an amendment in lieu which will place the existing guidance on a statutory footing on the face of the Bill, creating a clear legal requirement for schools.'

Baroness Smith said giving guidance a statutory basis would send an 'important message – for headteachers, if they feel they read that – to be able to say, "look, this guidance and what it expects from schools is statutory"'.

She added: 'We've listened to concerns about how we support headteachers in delivering on this policy and we have listened to Parliament.'

Laura Trott, the shadow education secretary, said she was 'delighted that we have forced Labour to see sense and U-turn'.

The senior Tory MP, who has long pushed for a ban on phones in schools, added: 'This is fantastic news for headteachers, parents and pupils across the country.

'For over a year, Labour dismissed this as an unnecessary gimmick, and just last week the education minister claimed the problem had already been solved.

'I'm glad they've now listened, this is the right step for improving behaviour and raising attainment in our classrooms.'

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: 'We have been consistently clear that mobile phones have no place in schools, and the majority already prohibit them.

'This amendment makes existing guidance statutory, giving legal force to what schools are already doing in practice.

'It builds on the steps we've already taken to strengthen enforcement, with Ofsted considering schools' mobile phone policies as part of inspection from this month.

'We will always put children's interests first, including through this Bill – which is widely recognised as the biggest piece of child safeguarding legislation in decades, with critical measures like laws to crack down on profiteering in children's social care and a new unique identifier to stop children falling through the cracks.'

MPs are expected to vote on the Government amendment on Wednesday.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the headteachers' union NAHT, said: 'Statutory guidance will give school leaders the clarity they need to implement a ban, and will remove any ambiguity or differences between how schools approach smartphone policies.

'Schools will only then need to decide how to implement and enforce a ban across their school community and the Government must provide any support they require to do so effectively.

'Some schools will need time to communicate with parents and pupils on implementation of a complete ban where this is not already in place.'

Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said a statutory ban 'doesn't really change that much' as most schools already have bans.

'What would really be helpful is for the Government to make funding available to schools for the safe and secure storage of mobile phones, such as storage lockers or locked pouches,' he added.

'We would also like to see much tougher regulatory action taken to tackle the harm caused by social media and the excessive use of smartphones – which generally happens outside of school time and is clearly having a profound and damaging effect on many young people.'