Secondary leaders and teachers are significantly more likely than students to say phone rules are followed in schools, according to survey data published today.

There were also clear divides in opinion on whether schools were “calm and orderly”, according to the Department for Education’s annual National Behaviour Survey for 2024-25.

Asked whether rules on mobile phones were followed “at least some of the time”, 96 per cent of secondary school leaders and 88 per cent of teachers agreed, compared with 63 per cent of students in Years 7 to 13.

The survey also indicated that schools are tightening rules on phones. Some 53 per cent of primary and secondary leaders said children can bring phones to school but must leave them in a secure place, up from 46 per cent in December 2023.

Earlier this year, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU teaching union, called on the government to introduce a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools to alleviate the pressure on parents, teachers and headteachers.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said schools need to understand the impacts of phones better and that the government should take “proactive action to safeguard children and young people”.

Earlier this year, shadow education secretary Laura Trott told Tes that banning phones in schools delivered ”spectacular results”.

The government’s decision to include a ban on smartphones in schools in its safeguarding guidance prompted a high court challenge over fears it didn’t go far enough to protect students.

More parents support school phone rules

Overall, just 18 per cent of respondents in Years 7 to 13 thought rules were applied fairly to all students “all of the time”.

In February 2025, 62 per cent of teachers agreed that parents are generally supportive of the school’s behaviour rules. This is an increase from 58 per cent in May 2023, when this question was last asked.

Secondary school leaders and teachers also indicated differing opinions on the extent to which their school was “calm and orderly”.

In May 2025, 84 per cent of leaders described their school this way “every day” or “most days” in the past week, compared with 60 per cent of teachers and 57 per cent of students.

All these numbers were higher than in December 2024, when the figures stood at 82 per cent for leaders, 56 per cent for teachers and 48 per cent for students.

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