Mobile phones are now a rite of passage

Last month, the Department for Education (DfE) published guidance, which is non-statutory, which instructed headteachers on how to ban the use of phones, not only during lessons, but during break and lunch periods as well.

When asked whether the Government would consider making a mobile ban in schools “statutory”, Mr Hinds told MPs: “We want to create this new norm and I think actually pretty much everybody welcomes there being that norm.”

Getting a mobile phone between primary and secondary school has become a “rite of passage” for nearly all children, the schools minister has said.

Damian Hinds said some children were given smartphones “quite a lot earlier” than Year 6 and said he welcomed the debate on primary school pupils’ accessing devices.

But he told the Education Select Committee that the Government did not tell parents when it was the right time to buy smartphones for their children.

His comments came after schools in England were given guidance from the Government intended to stop the use of mobile phones during school hours. Mr Hinds told MPs: “Almost close to everybody gets a mobile phone now at least between Year 6 and Year 7.”

He added: “There seems to be something of a rite of passage about that. You’re also right, some children will get a phone or a smartphone quite a lot earlier.

“The Government doesn’t tell parents when is the appropriate time to do that. These are decisions for families, they are decisions for parents in bringing up their children.

“But just to be clear, I do welcome the debate around this. I think having it in the public sphere – having commentators, journalists, academics, and politicians talking about it – I think is helpful.”