Teaching unions have stated that most schools already have plans that are comparable to this, and as the guidelines are voluntary, individual heads will still be free to choose their own strategies.
Ministers on Monday provided guidance on how to “if necessary” inspect students’ bags and belongings for electronics.
Instructors “can and should identify mobile phones and similar devices as something that may be searched for in their school behaviour policy,” it stated.
However, as the guidelines are not legally binding, individual heads will still have the final say over their own policies and whether or not cell phones should be prohibited.
Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, made a phone ban pledge at the Conservative Party annual conference in October.
“Clarity and consistency” for teachers and “a large variation in how different schools are managing the use of mobile phones” are two things that Ms. Keegan addressed in the foreword to the policy document that was released on Monday.
