Where a pupil does bring a mobile phone to school, the phone must remain switched off during the school day and may not be used on school premises, grounds or during off-site school curricular activities (such as swimming or sports activities). The only exceptions to this are on school trips, where schools have the discretion to allow pupils to carry and use phones if they wish (eg during planned solo activities), in emergencies or with the express approval of a member of school staff. Head Teachers may, at their discretion, allow any member of staff to approve such requests or may nominate a specific person to consider such requests.

Where a school pupil is found by a member of staff to be using a mobile phone as above, for any purpose, the phone will be confiscated from the pupil. It will generally only be returned to the parent. Schools may however, at their discretion, return the phone directly to the pupil on a first breach (where they are satisfied that the pupil may not have understood the school policy) or in a situation where there is genuine concern that the pupil requires the phone directly after the school day on security, health and safety or similar grounds. Schools may also, at their discretion, allow the phone to be returned to the pupil, on receipt of a signed authorisation from the parent, where travel or other issues make it difficult for the parent to attend the school to receive the phone.