Asking your school about a non-phone device

Since 29 June 2026, schools in England have had a legal duty to have regard to government guidance on mobile phones. Ofsted has assessed phone policy at every inspection since January 2026.

The guidance covers phones and devices with comparable functionality, and leaves the specific list of covered devices to each school. Your school is therefore making a judgement it is entitled to make either way, under a duty to record its reasons.

The decision sits with the headteacher or a deputy. Where a request relates to a disability or a medical condition, the SENCO is normally involved, and different duties apply. See exceptions and adjustments.

Questions a school will have

• What the device can do. Messaging, camera, microphone, internet, screen, and whether it can receive calls or alerts during the school day. Schools apply a capability test, so the specification is the relevant answer.
• Whether staff can identify it. A device that is hard to distinguish from a prohibited one creates an enforcement problem.
• Who holds the data. Where a family buys and configures the device, the school generally has no access and no controller responsibility. See data protection.
• How the arrangement ends. Whether it can be withdrawn without dispute if it causes difficulty.

If the answer is no

A refusal usually rests on a specific concern rather than a general position, and a specific concern can be addressed. It is worth asking which one applies.

Where a request relates to a disability or medical condition, the duties described above are engaged and it is worth putting the request in writing.

Policies are typically reviewed annually.