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Half of parents think children will dodge England's school phone ban, survey finds

Half of parents think children will dodge England's school phone ban, survey finds

New research suggests many parents expect children to find ways around school phone restrictions, with worries shifting to screen time at home.

Happy boy on phone at night

Getty/Peter Dazeley

MadeForMums

Published: July 1, 2026 at 12:27 PM

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Many parents aren't convinced England's new school smartphone restrictions will stop children using their devices during the school day.

New research from comparison site Uswitch suggests almost half of parents expect their child to find a way around the rules, while many also worry that limiting phone use at school could lead to more pressure for screen time once children get home.

The findings come as schools in England are required to enforce restrictions on smartphone use, with many families now thinking about how to manage devices both inside and outside the classroom.

Parents expect children to find workarounds

According to research commissioned by Uswitch, 49% of parents of children aged 11 to 18 in England believe their child will try to get around the school's smartphone restrictions.

Among the most commonly expected tactics are:

27% think their child would sneak a phone into school
22% believe they would use it somewhere out of sight
18% expect them to use a smartwatch instead
14% think they could hand in a "decoy" phone while keeping their real device

The survey was carried out by Opinium between 1 and 7 May 2026 and included 1,000 UK parents of children aged 11 to 18.

Could screen time battles move to home?

While the new school rules focus on the classroom, the research suggests many parents are equally concerned about what happens after the school day ends.

Among parents whose child already owns a phone, 32% believe a phone-free day at school could increase demands for screen time in the evenings.

The survey also found that 46% of UK parents say screen time is the biggest cause of arguments with their child, highlighting an issue that many families are already trying to navigate.

Many parents aren't aware of common ways children bypass controls

Uswitch's research also explored how confident parents feel about managing devices at home.

It found that:

30% of parents with parental controls in place say their child has already found a way around them
21% say their child has watched them enter a passcode in an attempt to gain access
46% either didn't know, or believed it wasn't true, that hidden browsers and VPNs can bypass some parental controls

Ernest Doku, technology expert at Uswitch, said parents may need support beyond simply switching on parental controls.

For schools without a plan in place already, the smartphone ban will make a difference during the school day – but the challenge for most families doesn't stop at 3pm.

Ernest Doku, technology expert at Uswitch

What parents can do

While parental controls can help manage screen time and online safety, experts generally recommend combining technology with open conversations about device use and clear family expectations.

For parents looking to review their current settings, checking built-in controls on smartphones, tablets and home Wi-Fi networks can be a useful starting point, alongside regularly updating passwords and discussing responsible phone use as children get older.

Support for parents managing devices

Uswitch has launched a free online tool called Safer Screens, which provides step-by-step guidance for setting up safety features on specific phones, tablets and home broadband networks.

Doku added: "With the summer holidays just around the corner, children will be spending more time at home with their devices than ever, and that's where parents often feel least in control.

"Setting up parental controls is a good first step, but many parents don't realise that a hidden browser or VPN can bypass them entirely, and children often know this before their parents do.

"No tool or technology will ever completely close every gap, but for parents unsure how to handle phone use, understanding what their child's specific device can actually do puts them in a much stronger position."

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