RESIDENTS are largely in agreement that banning mobile phones from school classrooms in England is a positive move.

At the Conservative Party conference on Monday, October 2, the Government’s Education Secretary Gillian Keegan will unveil plans to outlaw the use of the devices in lessons and during break time.

Speaking to The Daily Mail, a government source revealed Ms Keegan believes phones “pose a serious challenge in terms of distraction, disruptive behaviour and bullying”.

The source added: “It is one of the biggest issues that children and teachers have to grapple with so she will set out a way forward to empower teachers to ban mobiles from classrooms.”

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The announcement comes just months after a published report from the United Nations (UN) suggested the “mere proximity” to a mobile device can distract students and have a negative impact on their learning.

And residents are largely in agreement that imposing stricter measures on mobile phone use in schools is a good thing.

Michelle Miller, a 61-year-old cleaner from Aldermaston, said: “I definitely think phones should be banned. Children are on them far too much anyway. I think it’s a brilliant idea to ban them altogether. They don’t need them. They are a distraction.”

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Sales manager Catherine Craig, 39 and from Basingstoke, was also in favour of the decision, admitting that she herself gets easily distracted by her phone.

“I think it’s a good thing because, from my own personal experience, mobile phones are really distracting. I find I reach for it too much when I’m working, so I should have more discipline.

“I don’t believe children would have discipline in school to not constantly be looking at their phone. I didn’t have mobile phones when I was at school and it wasn’t a bad thing.

“I definitely think they should be banned. They shouldn’t be allowed at all.”

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Kelly Bilcock, a 24-year-old paediatric nurse from Basingstoke, agreed phones should be banned in classrooms but added they should be allowed between lessons and at break time.

“I think being banned in classrooms is fair,” she said.

“With social media it’s best not to be distracted. Social media in general is affecting education. But I think at break time it is fine.

“And in an emergency scenario I think it should be allowed, but during class time the phone should be on silent or in your bag.

Carl Barrett, a 44-year-old HGV driver and parent of teenagers, also said the use of phones should be permitted during break time.

Carl, from Basingstoke, said: “I think during class time, they definitely shouldn’t be allowed. But during break time, I think it should be absolutely fine.

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“They might need to contact their parents in an emergency.”

Retired Chineham resident, Eve Shaughnessy, 70, suggested students should hand their phones in during school hours to remove any temptation of looking at them in class but admitted it was a divisive issue.

“I’ve got grandchildren and I would hate to think they were on their phone in class,” Eve said.

“I’ve got a mobile and the moment I sit down I want to have a look at it. If they haven’t got it, it takes away the temptation for them.

“I wonder if there would be somewhere they could drop it off but then you’d have to body search them to make sure they’d dropped it off. I don’t know the answer.

“I can see both sides but I don’t think it’s improved anything having phones in schools. I don’t think it has saved anybody’s life.”