School Smartphone Enforcement Consumes Over 100 Staff Hours Weekly, Research Finds
Enforcing smartphone policies in English secondary schools represents a significant drain on staff resources, with educational institutions spending an average of more than 100 hours weekly on implementation, according to new research from Birmingham University. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, provides the first economic analysis of how phone rules impact school operations.
Restrictive Versus Permissive Approaches
The research examined data from a nationally representative sample of 20 schools across England, categorising policies as either restrictive or permissive. Restrictive policies require phones to be switched off and concealed in bags or surrendered at reception throughout the school day, while permissive policies allow limited use during breaks and lunchtimes.
Surprisingly, both approaches demand substantial staff time:
- Schools with restrictive policies spend approximately 102 hours weekly on enforcement
- Institutions with permissive policies dedicate slightly more time at 108 hours weekly
- This equates to the full-time equivalent of 3.1 to 3.3 staff members weekly
Staff Burden and Educational Impact
Professor Victoria Goodyear, chief investigator of the Smart Schools Study, emphasised that "school phone policies, whether permissive or restrictive, are a huge drain on a school to enforce." She noted that the considerable time teachers spend managing phone use potentially diverts attention from other wellbeing-promoting activities, including pastoral support and extracurricular programmes.
The research reveals that multiple staff members become involved in smartphone enforcement, including:
- Teachers and teaching assistants
- Caretakers and reception staff
- Administrative personnel
These professionals handle various enforcement tasks, from recording incidents and overseeing detentions to communicating with parents about policy breaches.
Policy Context and Union Perspectives
This research emerges as the government has issued new guidance advocating for phone-free school environments, including during breaks and lunchtimes. The schools watchdog Ofsted will now inspect how institutions implement these policies.
Teaching unions have responded with varied perspectives:
- The NASUWT union has called for a statutory requirement rather than guidance, urging schools to lock away mobile phones throughout the entire school day
- NAHT policy head Sarah Hannafin suggested that as phone bans become normalised, enforcement demands might decrease over time
- Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di'Iasio requested funding support for secure phone storage solutions
Implementation Challenges and Future Considerations
Professor Miranda Pallan, a co-author of the report, highlighted that "it is unknown how a statutory ban may impact on the staff burden of dealing with phones." Different implementation methods—such as phone pouches, complete site bans, or surrender systems—would likely affect staff time and school resources differently.
Even with comprehensive bans, breaches would still require staff attention, maintaining some enforcement burden. Department for Education data indicates that while 99.9% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools have mobile phone policies, 58% of secondary pupils report phones being used without permission during lessons, rising to 65% among key stage four students.
The Department for Education maintains that "mobile phones have no place in classrooms" and that their guidance helps schools implement effective policies without becoming burdensome. However, the Birmingham research suggests current approaches already demand substantial resources, prompting calls for innovative solutions to address adolescent smartphone use in educational settings.
