Devon teachers and MP reacts as Government moves to ban phones in classrooms
Teachers, academy leaders and South West Devon MP respond to planned England-wide school phone ban
Plans to ban mobile phones in schools across England by law have prompted reaction from politicians, teachers and academy leaders across Devon and Dartmoor.
The UK Government announced proposals on Monday (April 20) to introduce a statutory ban, aimed at reducing disruption in classrooms and improving pupil wellbeing.
Rebecca Smith, Conservative MP for South West Devon, welcomed the move, but noted it had taken far too long to happen.
“This is a welcome step, but it has been a long time coming,” she said.
“For months, teachers and parents have raised serious concerns about the impact of smart phones in schools, only to be told by Labour that nothing more needed to be done.”
She added that the policy goes beyond classroom behaviour.
“This isn’t just about distraction in the classroom. It’s about the real impact on young people’s confidence, wellbeing and ability to learn. Parents want to know their children are safe and able to focus at school.”
However, she said further action is needed around online safety.
“Banning smart phones in schools is only part of the solution. We also need to tackle the wider impact of social media, including stronger protections for under-16s.”
On Dartmoor, some schools have explained restrictions they already have in place.
Rachel Shaw, Chief Executive of Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, told The Moorlander her schools already limit phone use during the day.
“We already have a policy in place in our schools for no mobile phone use during the day,” she said.
“We recognise the need for our students to have time away from the distraction of their phones so they can focus on their learning.”
She added that policies are kept under review to maintain a positive learning environment.
Teachers have also reacted to the announcement, with some supporting the move while raising questions about how it will work in practice.
One Plymouth-based teacher, who asked not to be named, told The Moorlander: “I believe the phone ban will definitely be a good thing.
“We have our own phone policy at our school at the moment so I will be interested in how a country-wide ban will unfold on a school-by-school basis.
“Phones are a major distraction for students and everyone has one now so hopefully this will ease some of the issues we have faced.”
The Government says the planned legislation will apply across England, although details on how it will be enforced in individual schools are yet to be confirmed.