IN THE SPOTLIGHT: DECODING THE MOBILE DEVICE REGULATIONS

Education (Control and Use of Personal Mobile Devices on School Premises) Regulations 2026

Can I bring my phone to school?

The distinction the Regulations draw is a narrow but important one – not every phone in a school bag is a problem. They do not prohibit students from bringing a mobile device onto school premises. They prohibit the use of a device without authorisation.

Under Regulation 3, a student who brings a device to school must at all times, keep it on silent mode, store it in their bag or in a designated locker.

Regulation 4 imposes a parallel restriction on staff, prohibiting any member of staff from using a mobile device in front of a student.

Are there any exceptions?

Regulation 3(2) provides for two exceptions to the general prohibition on use.

The first concerns documented medical reasons: the head of school, or a staff member designated by them, may authorise a student’s use of a device where there is a documented medical reason.

The second concerns educational purposes: a teacher may authorise use of a device in class for educational purposes and Regulation 4(2) extends this exception to staff, permitting a teacher’s own use of a device for the same purpose. Outside these two circumstances, use of a mobile device on school premises during school hours is unauthorised.

What happens if I break the rules?

The disciplinary framework escalates according to the number of contraventions during the same academic year.

• 1st breach → Verbal warning
• 2nd breach → Device withheld + parent notified + written warning
• 3rd breach → Same consequences as 2nd breach + no device at school for remainder of term
• 4th+ breach → 5-day rustication

Did you know?

The school must keep a register of breaches with, amongst other things, the student’s name and grade, the date and time of the breach, the disciplinary measure taken, warnings issued, devices withheld and details concerning notification and return of the device.

A mobile device is defined in the Regulation as a handheld electronic device that can connect to the internet, store data, send texts, and receive or send emails.

School means any:

• Primary Schools: Government-aided, Government and private fee paying;
• Secondary Schools: Government, private, grant-aided and private fee paying; and
• It includes buildings, grounds and facilities of the school.

Conclusion

The Regulations seek to manage mobile-device use in schools without imposing an outright ban. Students may bring devices to school, but their use is restricted to authorised medical or educational purposes.

The disciplinary framework is progressive, escalating from a verbal warning to device withholding, a term-long ban, and ultimately five days’ rustication. The rules also apply to staff, reflecting a broader aim of regulating mobile-device use across the school environment.

The key question remains whether the framework promotes responsible digital behaviour or simply seeks to reduce mobile-device use in schools.