Putting Phone-Free Guidance into Practice

How much staff time is currently spent managing phone-related behaviour?

The latest Government guidance has made it clear that every school should be phone-free throughout the school day, with Ofsted assessing how well this is implemented in practice. For many leaders, the challenge is now how to ensure compliance in a way that is consistent, practical, and produces the best results for teachers and pupils. This session, delivered in partnership with Yondr, will explore how schools are approaching this in practice and what effective implementation can look like in different contexts.
 
The outcomes
Attendees will leave with a clear example of what effective phone-free implementation looks like, and how they can create a whole-school, cultural change in their approach towards phone use. They will gain practical insight into approaches that reduce staff burden, improve consistency and support behaviour, focus and wellbeing. They will be equipped to review or strengthen their own policy to ensure compliance with the government guidance, with examples they can adapt to their setting or trust.
 
Why this, why now?
The UK government has set a clear expectation that all schools should have a phone-free policy, with Ofsted also assessing this from April 2026. At the same time, concerns around children’s smartphone use, online safety and mental health are increasingly arising in public and political debate. This places schools at the centre of a wider national conversation, with growing pressure to respond in a way that is both effective and practical.
 
This practical, insight-led session is delivered by school leaders who are ahead of the curve, sharing real-world examples and approaches that are already making a difference. The session will be open and collaborative in tone, offering space for discussion, shared challenges and peer insight alongside clear, actionable takeaways you can take back and implement straight away.