Mobile phones in schools: policies and research from around the world

Written by ISE Team | Apr 14, 2025 2:31:48 PM

The debate about the use of mobile phones in the classroom continues. Some experts call for widespread bans and restrictions, whereas others argue that technology has become essential to many aspects of learning.

Schools may feel caught in the middle of the debate, unsure whether to prohibit their students from using mobile phones or regulate their use. However, research suggests the situation is nuanced and it’s not a simple case of whether to ban devices or not. The best course of action likely comes down to each school’s unique educational, cultural, and socioeconomic background.

This article explores the latest research and expert insights into the use of mobile phones in schools to help you develop policies to suit your school. It looks at what studies have uncovered, how different countries and schools are responding, and which factors may influence the outcome of policies.

What the research says about mobile phone use in schools

Recent research has led experts to different conclusions about the impact of mobile phone use on young learners. One international study found it distracted students from their lessons, whereas another similar study could not see a significant difference in academic performance between schools with mobile phone bans and those without. To add yet more complexity to the debate, one study even discovered that students got lower scores on their tests after schools banned technology from the classroom.

While research keeps generating such contradictory results, it seems educators are no closer to a definitive answer. However, these studies still have something important to tell us about the impact of mobile phone use on learning. They all focused on different types of schools and tracked different metrics, suggesting that the benefits and drawbacks of the technology are highly context-dependent.

Another factor preventing us from getting clear and definitive results is the timing of the research. Technology is advancing rapidly, so the way teachers and students use mobile devices in the classroom is constantly changing. That means digital trends from two years ago may have been harmful, but the ones that replaced them could be more conducive to learning.

This raises another issue — how can schools design policies for technology when it continuously changes? Sir Mark Grundy of the Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust says, “The answer here is to consider technology at the start and not the end. Look at a process and how technology can expedite, deepen, and improve it, rather than developing a process and then asking how technology can help.”

Factors that may affect mobile phone use at schools

When implementing mobile phone policies, a variety of factors could affect what rules you can and can’t include and the outcome:

Location: In many places, the decision about whether to allow personal devices in the classroom is out of the school’s hands. For example, current data shows many Central and South Asian countries have already moved to ban mobile phones.
Parents and guardians: Studies indicate the majority of parents don’t feel their children should have access to a mobile phone, which means they’re likely to be supportive of bans and restrictions. Some may even expect the school to implement strict policies and regulate device usage tightly.
Subjects: Smartphones can be useful for some classes, such as IT and media studies. For example, students often film on their smartphones as part of the British Council’s Your World competition.
Age: Research hasn’t shown a link between the age children get their first smartphone and their academic performance. However, the latest data indicates that most parents don’t give their children personal devices until between the ages of 10 and 12, meaning schools teaching younger age groups may not need extensive policies.

Policies can vary by age groups, for example, Sir Mark says, “Our secondary schools all take the same stance, which is we will not ban phones from coming into school, but we will not accept seeing them in school. We vary this for post 16 students, where we allow them to use their phones inside school but not in view of younger students.”

A look at mobile phone policies around the world

Looking at how other countries and schools are regulating mobile phone use can help schools set their own policies. You can see what’s generally acceptable, what results you can expect, and foresee potential challenges more easily.

China: The government introduced a new law in 2021 stating that children cannot bring personal devices to school without written parental consent. While the law has proved divisive, some regions have implemented even stricter policies in the meantime, most notably the city of Zhengzhou.

Saudi Arabia: The country introduced a nationwide mobile phone ban in schools in 2021 and reversed the decision in 2024 after disability rights groups petitioned. Parents maintained that their children should have immediate access to their phones in case of a medical emergency.

France: Middle schools are currently piloting a mobile phone ban in an initiative known as the ‘digital pause’. If the initiative is successful, the government intends to enforce it nationwide at the start of the new school year in 2025.

United Kingdom: Currently, schools are free to set their own mobile phone policies, although the vast majority have opted to ban devices completely. While there are no laws, schools are legally required to ensure the learning environment is safe, calm, and distraction-free.

Types of mobile phone policies to consider

Mobile phone policies don’t have to be all or nothing. Most schools allow them to some degree but have strict rules about when and how students can use them. Here are the main types of policy according to recent data:

Not allowed on the premises at any time
Allowed on the premises, but the teacher collects and stores them
Allowed on the premises but not to be used at any time
Only allowed during break times and lunch
Only allowed when the teacher gives explicit permission
Can be used at any point

Schools can even be flexible with these rules. For example, they might enforce separate rules for various subjects so classes can benefit from their phones for research and multimedia projects.

The key is to be clear about what your policy means. As Sir Mark says, “One of the major issues around the use of mobile phones in schools is actually the school's definition of whether they're in or not. What I mean by this is that schools will say they've banned phones where they actually mean they've said that phones cannot be visible.”

Final thoughts

Mobile phones are so divisive because they have the potential to both enhance learning and distract students from their studies. Moreover, research and anecdotal evidence suggest the technology can have a significant impact.

While studies can point schools in the right direction, developing policies to suit your school is most likely to have the desired effect. Only you as educator fully understand your students’ habits, attitudes toward technology, and capacity to use personal devices in the classroom and for self-study.