Question
Speaking as a former teacher and, indeed, as a parent, I warmly welcome this announcement from the Minister. Our schools should be phone-free environments focused on learning. Furthermore, as a parent, when my daughter Alice leaves the front door in the morning to go to her brilliant Hartlepool school, and when she leaves the school gate at the end of the school day, I do want to be able to contact her and to know where she is. Does the Minister agree with me that schools banning pupils even being able to arrive at school with a phone are going too far, and that lots of parents would have serious concerns about that?
Answer
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the challenges in some of these debates, but I think headteachers are in an incredibly good position to make these judgment calls for their school community. They do not do that lightly; they often do it in deep collaboration with parents and the wider school community. I have been to schools that have completely banned mobile phones, including on the way to and from the school. In some places, there will be reasons why that is not appropriate—we have heard from some Members about public transport options—but I do think it is down to headteachers to make those decisions. They of course have the best interests of children at heart, and they can see the impact some of these measures have on children in their school.11% vibes
Verdict: RED (20/100)
The reply mostly hedged. It left the decision on mobile phone bans to headteachers and noted that some schools use full bans and that these may not suit every area, but it never said whether the Minister thinks full bans go too far. On parents' concerns, it only mentioned that headteachers work closely with parents, without saying whether many parents are worried or whether the Minister shares those concerns. The asker would likely need to ask again for a clear position on both points.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does the Minister agree that schools banning pupils from bringing phones to school at all, rather than restricting their use during the school day, goes too far? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never says whether the Minister agrees that full bans go too far. It refers the decision to headteachers and notes that some schools have full bans and that full bans may not suit some areas, such as where pupils rely on public transport, but it commits to no position on the question asked. |
| Does the Minister agree that many parents would have serious concerns about schools banning pupils from bringing phones to school at all? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply mentions that headteachers work in deep collaboration with parents, which implicitly acknowledges parental involvement, but it does not say whether many parents have serious concerns about full bans or whether the Minister agrees with that view. |