By law, state and state-integrated schools must have a policy about restricting the use of phones by ākonga | students during school time.

The rules in the policy apply at school and for students who are not on school grounds as part of a school programme. This could be a school course or visit.

You can see your school's policy on their website, or you can contact your school and ask to see it.

What the law says#

The Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020 sets out the law about students' use of phones at school.

Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020 (LI 2020/193) 22 Duty to prohibit the use or access of mobile phones – New Zealand Legislation

The Education Review Office (ERO) monitors schools' phone policies.

Exemptions#

Some students may need to use a phone at school for health or learning needs, such as language translation.

Schools must allow students to use or access a phone when:

• a phone is needed for health reasons (for example, to monitor insulin levels if a student is diabetic)
• a phone is needed to help a student with a disability or learning support need (for example, to assist with impaired communication)
• the principal decides that they are needed for special circumstances (for example, the student is a teenage parent).

If your child needs to use a phone at school for one of these reasons, talk to your school.

Phones away – whānau FAQs#

Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about the phones away for the day rules.