Phones to be banned from bags at pockets under stricter rules at schools in England

Education Secretary Lucy Powell tells BBC Breakfast the government's "clear message" to parents and pupils was that "school is for learning and friendship, not scrolling". Pupils will not be allowed to have their phones on them at all during the school day under stricter government guidance in England. Statutory guidance came into force in June, making schools and trusts legally responsible for being phone-free throughout the day. Ministers now say changes to that guidance will go beyond the current "no see, no hear" policies in place in some schools - where phones can remain in pupils' bags if they are not seen or heard - when it comes into force from September 2027. But head teachers' unions said schools would struggle to implement stricter new policies without additional funding from government. For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news