A new report from the Education Review Office has found the Government’s ban on cell phones in classrooms has lifted student focus, achievement, and behaviour, even though only half of secondary students are following the rules.

The findings build on earlier Government announcements and provide the most detailed picture yet of how the policy is working inside schools.

Ruth Shinoda, Head of ERO’s Education Evaluation Centre, said the review shows clear benefits since phones were removed from classrooms from Term 2 last year. She said eight in ten secondary teachers reported improved student focus, and two thirds reported improved achievement.

She said removing phones has also reduced bullying and strengthened social interaction during breaks. Three quarters of secondary teachers said behaviour had improved, while two thirds of school leaders reported a drop in bullying.

However, ERO found compliance is a major challenge in senior year groups. Less than four in ten Year 12 and Year 13 students follow the rules. Shinoda said senior students often ignore phone restrictions to contact their families, and parental resistance to the rules almost doubles the likelihood of students breaking them.

ERO said schools with strong enforcement see significantly better outcomes. When rules are enforced consistently, compliance doubles, and students are nearly twice as likely to show improved behaviour and reduced bullying. Tougher responses, such as notifying parents or confiscating phones, also increase focus and achievement.

The report also identified emerging issues with wearable devices. Half of secondary teachers said smartwatches and other devices are becoming a new distraction, enabling students to access social media despite phone rules.

ERO has recommended four actions: keeping the phones away requirement, sharing best practice with schools to boost compliance, increasing parental awareness of the benefits, and considering extra measures to limit other digital distractions such as smartwatches.

The findings draw on more than 10700 survey responses from school leaders, teachers, board members, students, and parents, as well as interviews, focus groups, and school review data.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said parents can be confident the policy is improving student outcomes. She said there is more work to do but the results show the ban is helping lift achievement and classroom engagement.