Conservative law to ban phones in schools is ‘gimmick’, Education Secretary says

The Education Secretary has rejected calls to bring in a new law to ban phones in classrooms, as she branded the Conservative Party’s proposal a “headline-grabbing gimmick”.

Bridget Phillipson said she agreed that mobile phones should not be in lessons, but added the opposition were wrong to say it could only be done by introducing legislation.

She also told MPs the academies movement will “continue to flourish” despite a letter from the Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza which said it would lead to children being in failing schools for longer.

The Conservative party said last week that it would table an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would require the Government to ban phones in classrooms.

Shadow education secretary Laura Trott asked Ms Phillipson whether she would support her party’s plans.

She said: “We know that smartphones in the classroom have a negative impact on reading and educational attainment of children in general.

“When in government, we issued guidance to try to ban smartphones in the classroom, but the latest evidence is clear that they are still far too prevalent in schools.

“So to fix the problem, guidance needs to be put on a statutory footing.

“Does the Education Secretary agree that children’s education outcomes are negatively affected by smartphones, and if she does, will she back our amendment to ban them from the classroom?”

Under former prime minister Rishi Sunak, the then-Conservative government issued non-statutory guidance to schools in England intended to stop the use of mobile phones during break and lunch periods in schools, as well as in lessons.

Ms Phillipson referenced the previous Government’s approach to phones inside schools and said nothing had changed.

The Conservative Party tried to block the schools Bill earlier this month amid calls for a new public inquiry into grooming gangs.

Replying during Education Questions in the House of Commons on Monday, Ms Phillipson said: “I agree that phones have no place in the classroom. It is entirely right that schools take firm action to stop their use, and I know that that is what the vast majority of schools already do.

“As (Ms Trott) just said, last July, they said that they didn’t need to legislate in this area. Nothing has changed in this time. I back the approach that they took in July in this area.

“Yet again, another headline-grabbing gimmick. No plans to drive up standards in our schools.

It came as the Conservatives urged the Government to listen to concerns raised by the Children’s Commissioner about Labour’s schools reforms.

Ms Trott and Tory whip Nick Timothy referenced the letter sent by Dame Rachel to MPs, which said she could not support the plans as they stood. The Bill includes the removal of the requirement for failing schools to be automatically converted into academies.

Before taking on her position, Dame Rachel was co-founder and chief executive of the Inspiration Trust – a multi-academy trust with 17 primary and secondary schools in Norfolk and north Suffolk. It also has five sixth forms.

In written evidence for the Bill, she said: “I am deeply concerned that we are legislating against the things we know work in schools, and that we risk children spending longer in failing schools by slowing down the pace of school improvement.”

Ms Trott told MPs: “Just today, we had another voice come out against the disastrous academy proposals in the Government’s Bill. The Children’s Commissioner in a scathing letter said that ending the academy order to turn around failing schools will mean, and I quote, ‘that children will spend longer in failing schools’.

“Her own backbenchers have said that ending the academy order would be a huge mistake and will weaken standards.

“Instead of running all her policy past unions, who are more interested in their own power than teachers’ pay, will the Education Secretary listen to the Children’s Commissioner, her own backbenchers and headteachers up and down the country?”

Mr Timothy said: “The Children’s Commissioner says the Government is legislating against things we know work in schools. Katharine Birbalsingh says the Schools Bill is ‘catastrophic’. Sir Dan Moynihan asks why are we doing this.

“So why does the Education Secretary think she knows more about education than the Children’s Commissioner, the head of the best school in the country and the head of the best academy trust?”

Replying to Ms Trott, Ms Phillipson said: “It was a Labour government that created the academies movement, and a Labour government will ensure they continue to flourish. But the party opposite left 1,000 failing schools which continued to let down more than 400,000 children year after year.

“We will intervene more rapidly and more effectively to turn it around. The party opposite have nothing to say on school standards, more interested in their own record than best outcomes for children.”