Source: The Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England published on this website Friday 11 April 2025
Children’s Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza states:
“Over the last four years, I have spoken to a million young people and thousands of parents about the most pressing issues facing children growing up in England today. One issue that comes up time and again – from children, parents, and professionals alike – is online safety. While digital technology provides young people with unprecedented access to information and opportunities, it also exposes them to significant risks: harmful content, online bullying¸ the dangers of exploitation and grooming, and simply spending too much time online.
“A key area of debate in recent months has been the role of mobile phones in children’s lives, particularly in schools, and whether children’s use of phones at school – and more generally – should be restricted. This led me to question what was really happening in practice across our schools and colleges when it came to mobile phone restrictions.
“That is why, when I used my statutory powers to conduct the largest-ever survey of schools and colleges last year, I included questions on how schools were managing children’s phone use.
“This landmark research, with responses from 19,000 schools and colleges – representing nearly 90% of schools and colleges in England – provides the first comprehensive national evidence on smartphone policies. The findings are clear: the overwhelming majority of schools – 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools – already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.
“While these policies are essential in maintaining focus, reducing distractions, and promoting positive behaviour in schools, they are only part of the solution. Schools tell us that, despite these policies, they remain deeply concerned about children’s online safety. That is because most of the time children spend on their phones is outside school hours. If we want to protect children, we must broaden our focus beyond school gates and ensure they are safe online at all times.
“I recently commissioned YouGov[1] to carry out a nationally representative survey of children aged eight to 15, asking them how many hours they spent on a computer, smartphone, tablet or gaming console on a normal day. The majority of children (69%) spend more than two hours a day using one of these devices, while 23% spend more than four hours on them a day.[i]
“These children are not spending these hours on their phones while sat in school. It goes much wider than that.
“It means our response must be a whole-society approach. Parents and carers need to be supported in managing their children’s online activities and setting appropriate boundaries. Schools should continue to have clear policies on mobile phone use, but they should also play a role in educating young people about online risks and responsible digital behaviour. Most crucially, technology companies must step up and take responsibility for making the online world safe by design.
“Where that doesn’t happen, I will urge the government and regulators to take much stronger action to protect children from online harms. That could include banning social media for children under 16 or restricting internet enabled phone use for all children.
“This report makes clear recommendations: the government should provide full support to headteachers in implementing strong smartphone policies that work for their schools. But we must also go further. We need decisive action from policymakers, regulators, tech companies, and parents to protect children in the digital world—not just during school hours, but throughout their daily lives. “This is a collective responsibility, and one we must take seriously to ensure that every child can thrive in a safe and supportive environment, both online and offline.”
[1] Polling conducted by YouGov in March – April 2025. Respondents were asked ‘on a normal day, how many hours, if any, do you spend using an internet-enabled device (with a screen)?’ 7% said less than one hour a day, 20% said one to two hours, 25% said two to three hours, 20% said three to four hours, 10% said four to five hours, 7% said five to six hours and 6% said more than six hours.
YouGov poll, March 2025. On behalf of Children’s Commissioner’s office.
