From 1 September 2026, a ban on using mobile phones is set to apply in primary schools. The new rules are to cover pupils for the whole time they are on school premises – not just during lessons, but during breaks as well.
For many parents this is a significant change. On the one hand, limiting phones in schools can help children focus better on learning, on friendships and on getting a rest from the screen. On the other hand, it raises a very practical question about a child’s safety and keeping track of them. Until now, the phone has been the obvious tool for staying in contact with a child and checking where they are.
After all, over the years the smartphone has become the way many parents quickly check whether their child has arrived at school, is on the way home or is where they are supposed to be. The problem is that a phone offers far more than just contact. It also means social media, games, notifications, a camera, the internet and content that a younger child isn’t always ready for.
That’s why the school phone ban may be a good moment to calmly ask yourself: does your child really need a smartphone, or do they mainly need a safe way of being located?
School phone ban 2026 – the key facts
Let’s start with the most important points in a simple summary.
| Topic | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| From when? | From 1 September 2026 |
| Who does it apply to? | Primary school pupils |
| Where does it apply? | On school premises, including during breaks |
| Does it cover secondary and technical schools? | Not in the same form — there, the rules will be set out in each school’s statutes |
| Will there be exceptions? | Yes, including health reasons, emergencies and the teacher’s decision |
| Who will decide the details? | Each individual school, in its statutes and its organisation of school life |
What is set to change under the 2026 school phone ban
According to the announcements, the new rules are to cover primary schools. Pupils will not be allowed to use mobile phones while on school premises. The ban is meant to apply both to lessons and to breaks.
This matters, because until now the rules on phone use have been set mainly by the schools themselves. In one school, children could use their phones during breaks; in another there was a complete ban; and in yet another, phones were handed in for safekeeping or stayed in backpacks.
From September 2026, the rule is meant to be more uniform. Schools will still have a say, however, in how the ban works in practice. The head teacher, the teaching council and the parents’ council will be able to decide on specific organisational arrangements, such as where phones are kept.
In practice, this could mean different models. In one school, phones will be handed in for safekeeping; in another they will stay in backpacks; and in yet another there will be special lockers, pouches or baskets for devices. The act itself is not meant to impose a single way of storing phones.
Why do schools want to limit phones?
Schools are restricting smartphones because they have an ever-greater impact on how children and teenagers function day to day. The problem isn’t the device itself, but the way it competes for a pupil’s attention.
A phone at school isn’t just a way to call a parent. It also means notifications, messaging apps, social media, games, filming videos and constant access to the internet. Even if a child doesn’t use the phone during a lesson, simply knowing the device is within reach can be distracting.
School isn’t only a place for learning. It’s also a space for friendships, conversation, rest and building independence. If every break ends with staring at a screen, children have fewer opportunities for ordinary contact with their peers.
In that sense, the phone ban isn’t purely a matter of discipline. It’s an attempt to bring order to the school environment and to reduce the stimuli that get in the way of concentration and social relationships.
Phone, smartwatch or GPS tracker – which should you choose?
This is where the most important part of the whole discussion begins. Many parents don’t give their child a phone so that they can scroll the internet at school. For the parent, the phone often serves a very practical purpose: it gives them a sense of oversight and safety.
That’s why more and more parents are looking for a middle ground – solutions that let them look after their child’s safety without handing over a smartphone. So what should you choose, and how does each option compare with the others?
| Solution | Biggest plus | Biggest minus | Who is it for? |
| Smartphone | contact, apps, location | screen, social media, games, distraction | older, more independent children |
| Smartwatch | contact and location in a smaller device | can still be distracting and may fall under school restrictions | children who need a simple way to stay in touch |
| GPS tracker | location with no screen and no internet for the child | can’t be used for calls | children who don’t need a smartphone yet, and older ones too |
Will a GPS tracker be allowed at school?
Yes, a tracker will be allowed at school. The ban covers pupils’ use of mobile phones and certain electronic devices. A GPS tracker is not a smartphone and doesn’t give a child access to the internet, games or social media. Even so, every school may have its own rules on bringing in and storing devices.
A GPS tracker can be particularly useful for children, because the device can be tucked into a backpack, a hoodie or anything else the child carries with them. The parent checks the location in the app, and the child has no screen to look at.
Another advantage of the device is its long battery life – in the case of the notiOne GPS PLUS, up to 3 months. There’s also no subscription with this device, so you don’t have to worry about any additional fees.
It’s worth distinguishing, though, between GPS devices, which work independently, and Bluetooth devices, which need a phone with internet access in order to send their location correctly.
How to prepare your child for school without a phone
The school phone ban will be easier to accept if your child understands beforehand what the new rules are for. It’s worth having a calm conversation with them about the fact that a phone is neither a punishment nor a reward, but a tool that has to be used responsibly.
What’s worth doing before your child heads off to school:
- A good first step is to practise the route to and from school.
- Agree on a fixed route and on places where your child can ask for help,
- Agree on what to do if something doesn’t go according to plan,
- Write a parent’s phone number on a card kept in the backpack,
- Agree on the times for leaving for school and coming home, based on the timetable,
- Discuss how you’ll stay in touch after lessons and check what procedures apply at the school.
The phone ban doesn’t mean losing touch with your child
The school phone ban from September 2026 may change the daily habits of pupils and parents alike. Children will have to get by at school with fewer digital distractions, and parents will have to think differently about contact and safety.
That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Fewer screens at school can mean more focus, more conversation and more of a break from the internet. At the same time, parents don’t have to give up their peace of mind entirely.
A smartphone isn’t the only way to check whether your child has reached school or is heading home along the right route. A GPS tracker can be a simpler, calmer alternative. No screen. No social media. No games. Just one specific function: helping a parent check their child’s location when they really need to.
FAQ
Yes, the draft legislation provides for a ban on using mobile phones in primary schools from 1 September 2026.
Yes. The ban is meant to apply not only to lessons but also to breaks and to the whole time a pupil spends on school premises.
That will depend on the rules adopted by the individual school. The draft legislation is primarily about a ban on using phones, while the way devices are stored is to be decided by each school.
Not in the same form as primary schools. In secondary schools, the rules on phone use are to be set out in the school statutes.
A phone may be used, among other situations, with the teacher’s permission, for educational purposes, when a pupil urgently needs to contact a parent, for health reasons, or when there is a threat to health or life.
A GPS tracker doesn’t replace a phone for calls and everyday contact, but it can help a parent check their child’s location without giving them a smartphone with access to the internet, games and social media.
That depends on the rules of the individual school. A GPS tracker is not a smartphone, but before the school year starts it’s worth checking the school statutes or asking the class teacher about the rules on bringing in electronic devices.
It doesn’t have to be. It all depends on how it’s used. A GPS tracker is best treated as a safety tool for the journey to school, training or after-school activities, not as a way of constantly monitoring your child.
