Welsh Government consults on school phone restrictions 2026

Key Points

• The Welsh Government has opened a 12-week consultation on national guidance to restrict mobile phone usage in schools throughout Wales.
• Consultation ends in early December 2026, with guidance due to be published in early 2027.
• The Education Minister Anna Brychan says she “strongly supports, and strongly encourages” restrictions, even going as far as a complete ban in schools.
• The decision was made following concerns over the effects of mobile phones on the learners’ wellbeing, engagement, behaviour and learning, taking into account the proper use of technology in education.
• In June, the Welsh Government conducted a survey which showed that 82% of the respondents who were part of the education workforce support statutory restrictions for mobile phone usage in schools.
• Schools will still be able to have some flexibility when it comes to local conditions, but they are supposed to restrict mobile phone usage during school hours, according to the draft guidance.

Wales (Wales Times) September 09, 2026 – The Welsh Government has launched a nationwide consultation to shape new guidance on restricting mobile phone use in schools across Wales, marking a significant step towards greater consistency in how devices are managed during the school day. The 12-week consultation, which opens on 9 September 2026 and will inform guidance due in early 2027, seeks views on how schools can develop and enhance mobile phone policies while allowing flexibility for local circumstances.

What is the Welsh Government proposing on mobile phones in schools?

The consultation centres on draft guidance titled “Developing a mobile phone policy: guidance for schools”, which aims to provide clearer national direction while preserving schools’ ability to tailor rules to their context. As reported by Nation.Cymru staff, the guidance is being put out for consultation following a commitment by the new Welsh Government to tackle mobile phone use in schools as part of its first 100 days in office.

Under the proposed approach, there would be an expectation that mobile phone use is restricted during the school day, with the option for schools to go further and implement a full restriction across the school site. The Welsh Government says this will help create greater clarity and consistency across Wales, while still enabling schools to reflect local needs and existing arrangements.

Why is Wales consulting on restricting mobile phones in schools?

The consultation has been developed in response to growing concerns about the impact of mobile phone use on learners’ wellbeing, engagement, behaviour and learning. At the same time, officials acknowledge the important role that digital technology can play in education when used appropriately, and the guidance is intended to balance restriction with legitimate educational use.

Evidence cited by the Welsh Government includes a survey published in June, in which 82% of education workforce respondents supported statutory restrictions on mobile phone use in schools. Nearly three-quarters (74.6%) said existing restrictions had a positive impact on reducing distraction, while 65% reported a positive impact on behaviour management and 60.8% on learner wellbeing.

What have Welsh ministers said about mobile phone restrictions?

The Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Anna Brychan, set out the rationale in a statement released alongside the consultation. As reported by ITV News Wales, Ms Brychan said: “The first 100-days plan made a clear commitment to act on the issue of mobile phone use in schools. I fully support, and strongly encourage the introduction of clear and robust restrictions on mobile phone use during the school day up to and including a full restriction across the school site.”

She added:

“The impact that mobile phones, social media and wider technology can have on the wellbeing, behaviour and learning experiences is substantial and schools and families have raised legitimate concerns about distraction in the classroom.”

On the intended effect of the guidance, Ms Brychan said:

“This guidance will provide clear national direction and enable schools to develop robust policies, which are consistent across Wales.”

Who can respond to the mobile phone consultation in Wales?

The Welsh Government has explicitly invited schools, parents, learners and wider stakeholders to take part in the 12-week consultation. As reported by Nation.Cymru, Ms Brychan said:

“The consultation will give schools, parents, learners and stakeholders the opportunity to ensure their voices are heard and to shape the new guidance to ensure that it is both practical and effective.”

The consultation is hosted on the GOV.WALES website under the title “Have your say on restricting mobile phones in schools”, with responses accepted over a 12-week period from 9 September 2026. The final guidance is scheduled for publication in early 2027, once responses have been analysed and the draft refined.

How does Wales’ approach compare with other UK nations?

The Welsh consultation comes amid wider UK-wide debate over mobile phone use in schools, with different approaches emerging across the four nations. In England, a legal ban on smartphones in schools has recently come into force, while Scotland has launched its own consultation on restricting mobile phones in classrooms. Northern Ireland’s Education Minister Paul Givan has also launched a 12-week consultation on legislative proposals to support mobile phone-free schools.

In Wales, headteachers currently retain responsibility for their own phone policies, but ministers have signalled a desire for clearer national expectations. Some local authorities have already moved in this direction, with Caerphilly County Borough Council backing tougher rules and individual schools such as Argoed High School in Mynydd Isa announcing whole-school bans from September 2026.

What do teachers and unions say about mobile phone restrictions?

Wales’ largest teaching union has called for robust measures as part of the consultation process, reflecting broader professional concern about distraction and behaviour in classrooms. The Welsh Government’s own survey of the education workforce indicates strong support for statutory restrictions, with a clear majority of respondents linking existing restrictions to reduced distraction, improved behaviour management and better learner wellbeing.

Parent and campaign groups in other parts of the UK have argued for distinctions between smartphones and simpler “brick” phones, and for exceptions where devices are required for learning. The Welsh consultation explicitly notes that the role of technology in education will be considered, leaving scope for schools to permit device use where it forms part of teaching and learning.

When will the new mobile phone guidance for Wales schools be published?

The consultation period runs for 12 weeks from 9 September 2026, placing the closing date in early December 2026. Following analysis of responses, the Welsh Government expects to publish the final version of “Developing a mobile phone policy: guidance for schools” in early 2027.

Once issued, the guidance will sit alongside existing powers for schools and governing bodies to set their own policies, but with a clearer national expectation that mobile phone use is restricted during the school day. Schools will still be able to adapt the framework to local circumstances, including decisions on whether to extend restrictions to the entire school site.

Background to the mobile phone consultation in Wales

The consultation forms part of the new Welsh Government’s “First 100-Days Plan”, which included a specific commitment to act on mobile phone use in schools. In June 2026, Education Minister Anna Brychan announced plans for national guidance, citing evidence from a Welsh Government survey in which 82% of education workforce respondents backed statutory restrictions.

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said at the time that his government was “determined to act” to reduce the impact of smartphone use during school hours. Since then, individual schools and local authorities have moved ahead with stricter rules, creating a patchwork of policies that the Welsh Government now seeks to align through national guidance. The consultation document explicitly frames the guidance as a response to concerns about wellbeing, engagement, behaviour and learning, while recognising that digital technology can support education when used appropriately.

Predicted impact of mobile phone restrictions on Welsh schools and learners

If the consultation leads to widespread adoption of stricter mobile phone rules, the most immediate effect is likely to be on classroom attention and day-to-day behaviour management. The Welsh Government’s survey suggests that existing restrictions are already associated with reduced distraction and improved behaviour and wellbeing for many learners, indicating that broader implementation could reinforce these trends across more schools.

For teachers, clearer national expectations could simplify policy-making and enforcement, particularly in schools that have struggled with inconsistent rules or pressure from pupils and parents. For learners, especially those already affected by social media and smartphone-related distraction, a more uniform approach may create calmer learning environments and reduce peer pressure around device use.

At the same time, schools will need to manage practical issues such as legitimate educational uses of devices, communication with parents during the day, and enforcement of any site-wide bans. The consultation’s emphasis on flexibility suggests that implementation will vary, but the overall direction points towards fewer smartphones in classrooms and school corridors during lesson time, with potential long-term implications for how Welsh schools integrate digital technology into teaching and learning.