School should be a place for children to learn and build friendships with their peers. But I've lost track of how many teachers, parents, and pupils themselves who have told me that smartphones have become an addictive distraction in schools and a barrier to concentration.
Today we have launched new guidance to help schools implement and maintain a consistent policy that ends mobile phone use in school.
The time that children spend scrolling through a smartphone is time not spent focused on learning, exercising, or developing healthy relationships with their friends - and I know many of you are worried about the impact it is having on your children.
There is growing evidence that excessive screen time can have negative impacts on development, behaviour and mental health, and I hope this new guidance can reset the social norm both within schools and more widely.
