‘Overwhelming support’ for banning students using mobile phones in schools across West Northamptonshire

A consultation about students having access to mobile phones in schools has received “overwhelming majority support” in favour of prohibiting device usage, the council has reported.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) invited parents, pupils, schools and other members of the public to formally give their views on the role smartphones should have in education establishments going forward.

The public consultation was first agreed by full council in September 2025 after a motion was proposed encouraging the need for strengthened local guidance on mobiles to avoid a “postcode lottery of safeguarding standards”.

It ran for a period of 10 weeks, between November 2025 and January 2026, and received more than 1,200 responses, with three-quarters submitted by parents and carers of children in school.

Following WNC’s action locally, the government announced in April this year that it would introduce a legal ban on mobile phones for schools.

This also followed non-statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education (DfE) in February, stating that all schools should be mobile phone-free environments and would be expected to have a behaviour policy to ban smart devices throughout the school day.

A breakdown of the West Northants consultation results states that parents and carers are “by far the strongest advocates for bans or strict restriction”, as well as teachers and school staff who overwhelmingly support full bans and describe extensive classroom disruption from the devices currently.

According to WNC, the views of students were the most divided, with many opposing a ban as “patronising”, while others recognised the negative mental-health and distraction effects of phones.

The desire for clear and consistent guidance from respondents was also noted, as well as the need for SEND or medical exceptions where the use of smartphones for educational or medical reasons can be justified.

Though it was previously the intention for West Northants’ council bosses to develop and issue their own guidance for phone usage in schools, the authority has now said that separate local directions are no longer necessary due to the change in national policy.

WNC has said it will instead “shift its focus to supporting schools with the implementation of the new guidance” to avoid unnecessary duplication.

It adds that local councillors may also wish to support their schools locally by encouraging clear and consistent local messaging and community engagement, as well as considering local initiatives such as lockable pouch schemes.

The findings of the consultation and next steps on DfE guidance are due to be discussed at cabinet next week (Tuesday, June 9).