PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Oppose proposed statutory requirement that schools store or pouch smartphones
The Government should commit to not mandate nationwide phone storage systems in schools. The high profile movement to make this statutory should face proper scrutiny, in terms of costings, for example, and, instead, the far better alternative of banning smartphones from school premises be considered
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
6
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 6/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 6/100,000
Background
Smartphones are not safe for children and are causing immense harm. Storing them is an option to better protect children during the school day. However, pouching smartphones:
Normalises children owning smartphones
Encourages parents of Year 6 to buy their child a smartphone
Is very expensive (see Ireland)
Promotes belief that schools cannot manage this themselves
Makes complex what is actually straightforward
Locks schools into contracts with 3rd parties that they will find difficult to leave