School leaders began last week opening a letter from the education secretary outlining “tougher” guidance on mobile phones.

A few days later, they woke to headlines suggesting they should make greater use of internal rather than external suspensions.

Both announcements were briefed to the media, yet there was no meaningful engagement with school leaders beforehand to understand where challenges might lie or how policy could best support practice on the ground.

Ignoring the messaging

The guidance on mobile phones was, in essence, a more strongly worded version of advice that already exists.

What it did not include was any practical support - such as funding - to help schools store devices safely and securely during the school day.

The announcement on suspensions was even more problematic.

It managed to sound critical of schools’ existing approaches to both external and internal suspensions, while simultaneously insisting that headteachers’ autonomy in making these decisions would be respected.

There appeared to be little awareness of how such messaging might be perceived as undermining established behaviour policies, nor was there recognition that schools might need additional resources to allow them to expand internal suspension provision.

Policy via press release

It is therefore unsurprising that these announcements landed badly with many school leaders.

Policy announcements delivered via press releases - where educators learn of new expectations through the morning news - are a far cry from the co-construction that we were promised when Labour was in opposition.

It reinforces the impression that policymakers believe schools and colleges can be micromanaged from Whitehall, far away from the realities of classrooms and corridors.

This disconnect is compounded by the continued failure to address chronic funding shortfalls and their inevitable consequences for staffing levels, workload and morale.

Education Support’s recent wellbeing survey found that stress remains a persistent and normalised part of working in education, with more than a third of staff at risk of probable clinical depression.

Policymakers should be deeply concerned about the health of the workforce on which the entire system depends.

Improving wellbeing and morale must become a priority, rather than continually adding further expectations to the inspection framework.

Let’s work together

I recognise that governments are buffeted by the 24-hour news cycle and volatile opinion polls.

The tougher message on mobile phones may well have been prompted by growing calls for an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s. But reacting to headlines is no substitute for thoughtful, collaborative policymaking.

We will not achieve what we all want to see in education - excellent outcomes for every child and the best possible start in life - unless we work together.

Democratically elected governments have every right to set the overall direction of education policy.

What school and college leaders need in return is clarity, genuine engagement and the resources required to meet the expectations placed upon them.

The education secretary described the new mobile phone guidance as a “national reset”. But what truly needs resetting is the government’s relationship with the education profession.

More clarity, less confusion

Education should be a joint enterprise between educators, government and families working together in a common cause.

That requires time to think through the practical and financial implications of policies before they are announced.

Done well, this approach will lead to more effective policymaking - policy which makes a real difference to the outcomes of children and young people, can be implemented successfully and does not place yet more strain on an exhausted and demoralised workforce.

And it would mean fewer days spent by school leaders trying to decipher what the latest announcement really means, and how on earth they are expected to make it work.

Pepe Di’Iasio is general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders

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