The Gibraltar Government has just announced a new policy affecting all Gibraltar public schools. A statement from the Government follows below:
Gibraltar is introducing a system-wide policy on phones being used in schools. Starting January 2026, The Minister for Education has announced a reinforced approach that strengthens the existing school policy and aims to further reduce classroom distractions and support pupil wellbeing.
The programme rollout is being fully funded by the Government and has been announced in Parliament by the Minister for Education. The strengthening of the phone-free policy marks a significant step in Gibraltar’s efforts to create a more focused and productive learning environment.
The two secondary schools, each with approximately 1,400 pupils, have previously relied on rules requiring phones to be ‘out of sight’, and the new programme builds on this by introducing a consistent, school-wide system supported by the Yondr programme, which uses secure pouches where individual pupils can store their phones during school hours.
Dr. John Cortes, Minister for Education, said the decision follows growing awareness of the impact of smartphones on pupil behaviour and learning: “If children have their phone in their pocket, they’re going to be distracted. This measure will help students focus on learning and improve the classroom environment.”
Highlighting Gibraltar’s leadership on the issue, Sir Nick Gibb, former UK Minister for Schools, said: “Smartphones have no place in schools - they fragment attention, fuel anxiety, and crowd out the face-to-face interaction that both education and friendship depend on.
“Gibraltar is taking a bold step as a first mover, setting an example for others to follow. Every child deserves an interruption-free education, and initiatives like this show it can be done.”
The move also reflects broader debates in the UK and internationally over the role of smartphones in schools. Schools in England implementing similar measures have shown improvements in pupil behaviour, classroom atmosphere and teacher wellbeing.
A UK survey conducted in February 2025 by Public First, commissioned by Yondr, found that 72% of teachers view phone use as a persistent school problem and say lesson time is regularly affected. The research also showed that 80% of parents support making schools phone-free environments.
Gibraltar’s pupils will join a growing number of schools internationally that use phone-free days to support better focus and a calmer classroom environment.