The increasing usage of mobile phones by children has had an inevitable knock-on effect on the schools system. 

While many parents say having a phone is essential for their safety, educational providers – often citing scientific studies, in addition to personal experience – say mobile access can provide a distraction that radically reduces attention span.

That gives governments a decision to make: should they limit the use of mobile phones in schools? If so, from what age? And should it be a total ban, or just during lesson times?

Across Europe, different countries have tried different things. Here we look at which countries are imposing legislation and which are considering it. 

Information correct as of 25 May 2026.

UK

In April 2026, the UK government said it will introduce a legal ban on smartphones in schools in England. 

It will table an amendment to its Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, "creating a clear legal requirement for schools" in order to give "legal force to what schools are already doing in practice".

UK education laws are devolved, with each nation having different approaches. In 2024 Scotland introduced guidance allowing headteachers to implement phone bans. 

Similarly, Wales has no national phone ban but heads can ban or limit phone use. Meanwhile Northern Ireland conducted a phone-free pilot scheme and a report will be published in June. 

France

President Emmanuel Macron wants France to become one of the first EU countries to ban social media for under-15s – and banning mobile phones in high schools is on the same legislative ticket. 

The lower house National Assembly passed legislation in January 2026, but in late March the right-leaning Senate only adopted the bill with several amendments to the text, which could delay the bill being adopted by both houses.

Poland

Poland plans to ban the use of mobile phones by under-16s in schools from September 2026.

"We are currently finalizing work on a major legislative change, crucial for schools, which will result in a ban on mobile phone use in primary schools from September 1, 2026,"  Education Minister Barbara Nowacka told reporters.

In Poland, children attend primary school from the ages of seven to 15.

Sweden

Sweden plans to ban mobile phones from primary and middle schools in order to ensure that children can focus on learning in the classroom, the government said in January 2026.

Around 80 percent of Swedish primary and middle schools already have bans on mobile phones in the classroom, introduced at the principals' discretion.

But Education Minister Simona Mohamsson told a press conference a nationwide ban was needed to ensure that all schools were mobile-free zones.

Denmark 

Denmark's primary and lower secondary schools and school-based leisure facilities will be mobile-free from the 2026/2027 school year, which starts in August. 

The Danish parliament agreed in February 2025 to mandate a legal requirement for schools, with the Ministry of Children and Education providing a standard policy template for schools to adopt.

Netherlands

The Netherlands has implemented a national ban on phones, tablets and smartwatches in schools since 2024 – although the ban was applied via a national agreement rather than an actual law. 

The ban began on 1 January 2024 in secondary schools, extending to primary and special educational schools after the 2024 summer break. Around two-thirds of schools ask students to leave phones at home or in lockers, while others have them handed in at the start of lessons. 

Research after the first full school year suggested secondary-school children found it easier to concentrate (75%) and that the social environment was better (59%), while 28% said results had improved. 

Italy

Italy implemented a nationwide ban on mobiles in kindergartens and middle schools (up to around age 14) from September 2024, with Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara even insisting students use traditional tools like paper diaries for homework instead of digital registers.

From September 2025, the ban was extended to high schools, where devices must be switched off for the entire duration of lessons. In some regions, phones are now required to be locked away in dedicated compartments at the start of the day. 

There are some exemptions for areas of the curriculum which require cellphone usage, such as IT and communication courses. 

Hungary

Since the 2024/25 academic year, Hungary has banned mobile phones in primary, secondary and vocational secondary schools, unless the teacher or school explicitly permits it for the specific purpose of the lesson. 

Unusually, the same rules also constrain teachers from using mobiles during classes and supervised activities. 

However, it is worth noting that the law was instituted under previous prime minister Viktor Orban, whose successor Peter Magyar has set about overturning several Orban-era decrees. 

It's not yet known how much Magyar might prioritize reversing the school phone ban, but while in opposition he participated in public protests against them. He even turned the proposal's logic against Orban by suggesting a similar smartphone ban should be imposed within the Hungarian parliament building. 

Finland

Since August 2025, Finnish legislation has restricted the use of phones and other mobile devices during the school day. Pupils can only use them during lesson times with express permission from the teacher, either for healthcare or educational purposes.

The legislation, which followed a study carried out by the department of education and culture, allows the teacher or principal to confiscate a child's mobile device if it disrupts learning or teaching. Schools must also establish rules for the usage and storage of mobile devices during the school day. 

Greece

In August 2024, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a ban on phones in schools, requiring students in year 6 (typically aged 11-12) and above to keep their phones inside their bags during lesson hours. Pupils who refuse to comply can be excluded from school for one day, with longer exclusions for repeat offences.

The ban extended previous rules under which students could be expelled for filming classmates and ridiculing them online. Indeed, a general ban on mobile phones in schools dated back to 2002 but teachers struggled to enforce it. 

"Students can bring their mobile phones to school, but they must keep them inside their school bags during the entire school day," Mitsotakis said as the new ban was announced.

"Scientific data on how the use of mobile phones during the school day affects the learning process itself are overwhelming. From distraction to other important issues, it is clear that mobile phones have no place in school during the school day."

Norway

Norway's relationship with the use of mobile devices in schools is less straightforward than in many countries: around 10 years ago, the then government actively encouraged it.

Fearing a growing skills gap between the rich and poor, the government decided to give every child from the first grade up a tablet – to use at school and take home. But these devices – unrestricted, and without parental controls – caused a backlash.

By 2024, an education ministry survey said that mobile phone usage had been restricted by more than 96% of Norwegian primary schools, with 64% of secondary schools incorporating restrictions into their code of conduct. 

Rather than a formal, nationwide legal ban, restriction is enforced through official recommendations, with Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training guidelines declaring that classrooms and break times should be entirely mobile-free. 

SEE ALSO: Which European countries are banning children from social media?