Babies and under-fives will be at school before we know it — those first few years go by so fast! With that in mind, there is a hot topic that parents of such little ones need to be aware of: the case for stopping children from accessing mobile phones at school. Much has been said in the press recently about the subject. However, what is the evidence that removing access to mobiles will improve children’s education and well-being? Well, according to a ban undertaken in schools in the Netherlands, there is some very good evidence. After two years of the Dutch mobile phone ban, we now have some clear findings. We’ll take a look at those and explore the issue in today’s topic: The Case for Banning Mobile Phones at School.
The Dutch Ban on Mobile Phones in Schools
It was more than a trial in the Netherlands; the Dutch government effectively banned* access to mobile phones by students in schools. The idea was to encourage better concentration in lessons, remove the distractions invariably caused by mobiles, and thereby improve academic performance and outcomes for the students. That mobile ban began 2 years ago. Subsequently, smartwatches and tablets were also added to the list of banned devices — smart devices are simply not allowed. Signage is typically displayed at school gates, announcing that any smartphones and devices must be stowed securely in children’s lockers from the moment they enter the school building. Better still, leave them at home!
* This wasn’t a new law, as such. Instead, it was an agreement between the Dutch government, schools, teachers, and parents, who all bought into the initiative. Such an approach got everyone on board and was far quicker to implement than waiting for a law to be passed — an innovative and, it turns out, effective approach.
What Are Teachers Saying?
Firstly, because the scheme is a buy-in by parents, teachers, school heads, and the government, teachers do not feel alone in the enforcement of the phone ban. It’s a multi-stakeholder initiative and, as such, attracts minimal friction, leaving teachers liberated from the need to significantly ‘police’ it.
The Dutch teachers believe the mobile phone ban in schools is a success. Children have better focus in lessons and while undertaking school work. Attention is significantly improved. Unsurprisingly, therefore, teachers are seeing an improvement in academic performance as a result.
What’s more, teachers have noticed that children are calmer and more relaxed. They no longer have to concern themselves with communications coming from all quarters, being photographed by peers, or images of them being posted to social media.
What the Data Says About The Dutch Ban
Such findings by teachers are backed up by data from the Dutch mobile ban. A study commissioned by the Dutch government found that about 75% of schools surveyed confirmed a significant increase in the levels of student concentration. A third showed clear improvements in children’s academic performance, and two-thirds experienced an improved social climate as a result of the mobile phone ban. Bullying levels were seen to drop in other similar studies.
“UNESCO called for smartphones to be banned from schools as evidence showed it was linked to reduced educational performance and that excessive screen time had a negative impact on children’s wellbeing.” — Gov.uk(∞)
What Are Students Saying?
Children inevitably had initial misgivings and perhaps mixed feelings when the ban first came into force. After all, mobile phones, particularly Internet-connected smartphones, are multifaceted and alluring pieces of kit that some may argue are even addictive. So, some children were inevitably anti-ban. However, children in Dutch schools are now finding themselves living more in the moment, whether socialising with friends, at play, or in the classroom. They are now more present. Some, who had expected school life without a smartphone to be a retrograde step, report that they went on to experience no downside at all. Furthermore, students are saying that they are not making up for lost smartphone time before or after school. They’re becoming more social in real life.
“By the age of 12, 97% of children have their own mobile phone, according to Ofcom. Using mobile phones in schools can lead to online bullying, distraction and classroom disruption which, in turn, can lead to lost learning time.” — Gov.uk
How Do the Provisions for Mobile Bans in Schools in England Compare?
While, as yet, there is no official government ban on mobile phones in schools in England, they are strongly discouraged via official guidance. That said, the government continues to explore the possibility of an outright ban and has updated its guidance for schools as recently as this year (2026).
While it’s guidance from the government for now, the majority of individual schools in England have already banned mobile phones in some way. Exact policies vary, but if brought to school, many require them to be handed in or locked away, for example, in lockers or special pouches. Some have even installed charging points within lockers as an incentive for kids to stow them inside.
“The Department for Education says phones ‘have no place in the classroom’, and that Ofsted will be judging the implementation of schools’ phone policies going forward.” — BBC
Is There a Downside to Banning Mobile Phones in Schools?
Safety-conscious parents may previously have used smartphones to track the whereabouts of their children, including at school. If the phone is in a locker, though, that’s not possible. However, this is easy to fix with something like a Bluetooth tracker. Various options and suppliers are available, using several different technologies for the tracking element. An Apple Air Tag is a well-known example. Like many of the other tracking devices, these are small enough to put in a child’s pocket or pencil case, or to attach to a backpack.
Another current downside in England, at least for now, is that a phone ban can be tricky to enforce. That’s not least because of the challenges of making a school phone-free without a legal ban. Some children may also simply hide phones, making them silent, or switching them off for stretches of time. A full, legal ban, however, may hold more weight against activities, as more people would buy into the rules by default. And, with all children following the same rules, there would no longer be a fear of missing out.
“Nearly a quarter of five-to-seven-year-olds now have their own smartphone, and nine out of 10 students own a mobile phone by the time they reach secondary school, according to Ofcom.” — BBC
What About Children Under Five?
Today’s post is timely because the Government released new guidance just this week (late March 2026), recommending that children under five should spend no more than one hour a day on screen time. The advice goes on to recommend that children aged under two should avoid screentime completely, except where it is shared with an adult as part of a bonding activity, interaction, or conversation.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt that smartphones, and even so-called dumb phones, don’t belong in the classroom — or playground for that matter. And removing children’s access to them at school does seem to result in some very positive outcomes. That’s a fact that should come as no huge surprise, given what a distraction they can be. With that in mind, the UK government continues to tighten up guidance and further explore the possibility of a legal ban.
The debates and news around the use of smartphones by children continue to swamp the news this month. As we said near the start, it’s a very hot topic right now. Just this week, Meta and Google were both found to be liable by a U.S. jury for building addictive platforms that harm children’s mental health, according to the BBC and other news outlets. We may come back separately to the topic of screentime and use of social media by children in due course, so watch this space!
Little Cedars: a High-Quality Childcare Provider in Streatham
Year-Round Childcare Services in Streatham — Little Cedars Day Nursery
We hope that today’s article from our comprehensive blog area is of interest to parents. For those with children under five living near Streatham, Little Cedars Nursery represents a wonderful choice for weekday childcare. We’re open virtually all year round and are conveniently located close to Streatham, Streatham Common, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Tooting, Furzedown, Balham, Norbury, and Colliers Wood. We offer fabulous facilities, wonderful staff, and a warm, homely environment for babies, toddlers and under-fives. Children at Little Cedars Nursery are given the very best start, as attested by our good Ofsted rating, and we support funded childcare places for eligible children.
If Little Cedars Day Nursery sounds of interest, please get in touch today to explore a possible nursery/preschool place for your baby or child under five:
Are you the parent of a 3-year-old child, or one that’s just turning 4? If so, you need to choose your 3 preferred primary schools now and submit your application for them at the latest by mid-January of the coming year. It’ll be here before you know it! Whether you want your child to begin school at the age of four or five, you have limited time left for your application. With that in mind, today’s post outlines our top tips for a successful primary school application for your preschooler. Read on to learn how to maximise your potential success in achieving a school place that’s best for your child.
It’s important for parents to focus on primary schools that are close to their child’s home. That’s for two reasons:
Visit the schools on your shortlist. Such ‘in-person’ visits are like gold dust. You can ask questions, get a feel for the school, see how the existing children are getting on, witness the teaching style, and see how well your child might fit in. Take them with you if possible. Most primary schools will have open days or evenings, so find out about those and attend. Alternatively, call the head or school office to arrange a guided visit if possible.
One of the most fundamental decisions you need to make before applying is whether you want your child to begin at primary school when they’re 4 or the ‘legal’ maximum age of 5. This is a conundrum especially for “summer-born children” i.e. those born between the start of April and the end of August. For this age group, they’ll be amongst the youngest if they start in Reception Year at 4 or amongst the oldest if they defer their start until the age of 5. What’s more, for those deferring until 5, it’s not the parent who decides whether a child goes into Reception or Year 1 — it’s the schools and local admission authorities. So, parents need to decide, before applying, whether they wish to go with the usual flow and start their children at 4 (will they be ready?), or defer a year until they’re 5. It’s a fine balancing act and your decision needs to be made in the best interests of the child. That said, most children do start at 4 and go in Reception Year.
Priority for primary school places is given first to those who submit applications on time. Each year, that means between the 1st of September and the 15th of January when your child is 3 or has just turned 4. Even if you intend to defer your child’s school start until they’re 5 rather than starting them while they’re 4, you still need to apply while they’re only 3 or have just turned 4. If you miss the mid-January deadline, you will stand a much lower chance of achieving a place for your child at your preferred school(s) — because places will already have been allocated to those who applied on time. Sadly, many families miss out because they simply didn’t realise how early they needed to apply.
You read that right! When National Offer Day for primary schools arrives, it’s generally agreed that you should accept whichever school place is offered to your child. That’s the case even if you’re unhappy! It’s because your child then has a firm school place to fall back on should you appeal, or go on a waiting list for another school, and are unsuccessful. Accepting the initial school place that’s offered does not adversely affect your chances with appeals or waiting lists, which is why the accepted wisdom is to accept the initial offer.
In a follow-up to last month’s post about 
Reading with children, well ahead of them beginning school, has also been shown to boost their language skills, incredibly by the equivalent of as much as 8 months before they’re even five! The key is to read with them; not just to them. Learn more about 
Listen to any reservations your child may have about the prospect of starting school. Listening is important, so be on the look-out for any concerns and reservations they may have.
Children will greatly benefit in Reception Year at school if they’re already independent when they start. So, nurturing aspects of their independence well ahead of them beginning school is a good policy. For example, ensuring they know how to independently look after personal hygiene, dress themselves, tie shoe laces, dress, use the toilet, pack their bag and so on. If they can do this before they start school, it will help them enormously.
Parents/guardians will also be wise to identify one or more of their children’s friends (or potential friends) that will also be starting school at the same time. Ensure they meet up and play regularly, before they’ve started school. In this way, there will be a friendly face at the school from the moment they start. It’ll help them feel more at home and less alone.
Several weeks before they start school, children should start to synchronise their day with the timings of the new school day. This should include getting up time in the morning and ideally even timings for lunch and suchlike. In this way, children’s body clocks will have adjusted in good time, before they actually start.
Ensuring children have everything they need, at least a little ahead of starting in Reception, is a good approach. Check that you have all items of their uniform, PE kit, any stationery, lunch box if appropriate, backpack or bag and so on. Is everything marked with your child’s name? Usually it should be.
Your child will need to know, ahead of time, who is collecting them. If it’s not you, then they need to know clearly who it will be. They also need to be clear around their general safety rules, stranger danger and so on. Schools should also have safeguarding policies in place for unexpected scenarios. For example, if you are unexpectedly delayed and need to send someone else to collect your child, does the school have a password system in place to ensure that only the right person can collect your child? Find out.