West Sussex County Council has welcomed new Government guidelines to help keep smartphones out of schools during the school day, after raising concerns about their impact on children’s learning and wellbeing.
The Department for Education’s guidance comes after Councillor Jacquie Russell, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning and Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Bob Lanzer had written to the Secretary of State for Education to share feedback from teachers, school staff and health professionals.
The letter from Cllr Russell and Cllr Lanzer called for national legislation that would require all primary school settings to be smartphone free during the school day. The letter specified that legislation should focus on primary settings, acknowledging that secondary schools may require more flexibility due to educational, safeguarding and practical considerations.
Although the new guidance is not statutory, the Cabinet Members have acknowledged it is a positive step forward to help tackle the issue of smartphones in schools.
Cllr Russell said: “We work closely with schools across the county. We have a responsibility to ensure children and young people learn in environments that are safe, supportive and help them reach their full potential, aligned with Our Council Plan priorities.
“Professionals across West Sussex have told us time and again that smartphones in primary schools create unnecessary distractions and expose children to content they are not emotionally ready to deal with.
“We want to help teachers and school staff by ensuring there are clear rules and consistent approaches for managing changes in the school environment, including the use of new technologies. The new guidelines support those aims.”
A response by Olivia Bailey MP, Minister for Early Education, highlighted the Government’s new mobile phones in schools guidance.
She said the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s new three-month ‘Growing up in the online world’ consultation also offers people the chance to share their views on a range of measures. These include determining the right minimum age for children to access social media, and whether the mobile phones in schools guidance should go a step further and become a legally binding requirement .
Cllr Lanzer said: “Children’s emotional health and wellbeing must always come first.
“The Minister’s response makes clear that the public now has a real opportunity to help shape future measures that protect children and young people online and when using digital devices, by taking part in the new consultation.
“I strongly encourage children, young people, parents, teachers, health professionals and everyone across West Sussex to share their views.”
TAKE PART: Growing up in the online world: a national consultation (closes 26 May 2026).
