Laura Trott has urged Ofsted to adopt a stricter stance on mobile phone usage in schools, suggesting that schools should face a failure status on safeguarding if students are found using smartphones in class.

Despite surveys indicating that 90% of secondary schools and nearly all primary schools have defined policies regarding mobile phone usage, only 11% of schools impose a complete ban on mobile devices.

Beginning in November, Ofsted’s new inspection toolkit will require inspectors to evaluate how schools approach mobile phone policies as part of their assessments on behavior and attendance.

Smartphones as a Safeguarding Issue

In her correspondence to Ofsted chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver, Trott emphasized that acknowledging mobile phone usage’s impacts is crucial but insufficient. “Smartphones are not merely a behavioral issue; they pose significant safeguarding concerns,” she stated, advocating for a more explicit reflection of this in Ofsted’s framework.

Trott reiterated the point in an interview with Schools Week, asserting that Ofsted’s attention to smartphone policies could lead to a positive change in school behavior management. She argued, “If a school allows students access to inappropriate content, such as pornography, it would certainly be classified as a safeguarding issue.”

She proposed that schools implementing ineffective policies, like the frequently applied “not seen, not heard, not used” rule, should be issued warnings and be prepared for follow-up visits from Ofsted.

With the revamped inspection criteria, safeguarding will now feature its own assessment category, denoting whether standards are ‘met’ or ‘not met.’

Concerns Over Ofsted’s Scope

However, some educators believe this initiative might stretch Ofsted’s remit too far. Michael Baxter, head of City Academy London, recently initiated a policy allowing only basic mobile devices for Year 7 students and aims to eliminate smartphones entirely.

Despite his initiative, Baxter expressed reservations about Ofsted’s involvement in scrutinizing smartphone policies, labeling it as potential overreach. “The ability to restrict smartphone use may vary significantly depending on a school’s location; rural institutions may find it challenging compared to urban centers,” he noted.