Mobile phones to be banned from schools in England

The Government is set to hold a Conservative Party conference today where it is said that Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, will unveil plans to ban mobile phones from classrooms in England.

Some schools already ban the use of devices but Ms Keegan is expected to order phones to be fully outlawed from lessons and during break time.

The Education Secretary is expected to announce the mobile phone ban during her speech at the conference later today.

Do you agree - should mobile phones be banned from school classrooms? (Image: NQ archive)

Why could mobile phones be banned from schools in England?

Ms Keegan, a source revealed to The Daily Mail, believes the devices “pose a serious challenge in terms of distraction, disruptive behaviour and bullying”.

A Government source told The Mail: “It is one of the biggest issues that children and teachers have to grapple with so she will set out a way forward to empower teachers to ban mobiles from classrooms.”

This announcement comes just months after a report from the United Nations (UN) was released with data suggesting the “mere proximity” to a mobile device can distract students and have a negative impact on their learning.

Despite this, fewer than one in four countries have banned smartphone use in schools, the report from Unesco, the UN’s education, science and culture section agency, estimated.

A UN report recently showed students can be distracted by a mobile device that is simply in the mere proximity. (Image: PA)

Schools Minister Nick Gibb, speaking to PA news agency when the report was released, added mobile phones could be "disruptive" and could also lead to cyberbullying.

Mr Gibb said: "I think there’s almost an increasing consensus that they should be kept out of the classroom.”

He added: "We just have to be very careful that children are not spending hours on these pieces of equipment to the detriment of their relationship with their friends, being outside, taking exercise, doing their homework, talking to their parents.

“I think we all need to be very cautious in the freedoms we give to children in terms of their mobile phone use.”