Most schools have the policy on paper. Phonestow supplies the routine that enforces it — lockable pouches, unlock stations, an Ofsted-ready policy pack and in-person fitting — as a one-off purchase from £8 per pupil.
The pouch is the easy part. What makes a ban stick — and stand up at inspection — is the routine around it.
Tough neoprene with a magnetic pin lock. Fits phones up to 6.9″ in a case; XL option takes a watch and earbuds too. School-branded printing available.
Wall-mounted bases at exits clear a full school in 10–15 minutes, plus handheld units for the office, exams and exceptions.
For schools that prefer form-room collection over pupils carrying pouches. Optional charging lockers for staff rooms and sixth forms.
A phone policy template mapped line-by-line to the statutory guidance — the document you put in front of Ofsted — plus parent letters, FAQs and an assembly script.
We install the stations, brief your staff on the routine, and come back for a half-term review. Competitors courier a box; we turn up.
Straightforward replacement pricing for lost or damaged pouches, with spares held locally — no transatlantic support queue.
Pupils drop their phone in their pouch and click it shut on the way in. Staff supervise the flow, not a search — the pouch stays with the pupil or in the form-room rack.
No screens between bells: lessons, corridors and break. Staff carry handheld unlockers for medical needs, exams and genuine emergencies — the exceptions are part of the written routine.
Wall stations at the exits unlock pouches on the way out — a 1,000-pupil school clears in ten to fifteen minutes. Phones back in pockets at the gate, not in lessons.
When a US school district compared a one-off case purchase against the leading annual pouch lease, its own director put the difference at six times cheaper over three years — £128k once versus £267k a year, in their figures. Phonestow brings the same one-off model to UK schools, from £8 per pupil, with fitting included.
Source: Putnam County Schools board decision, reported June 2025 (figures in USD).
cheaper over three years —
a district's own comparison
One-off purchase, yours to keep. Schools and trusts can order by invoice or purchase order — no card needed.
Bundle prices exclude VAT where applicable; delivery included in mainland UK. *On-site fitting included within Yorkshire & the Humber; nationwide by arrangement. Every quote includes a free sample pouch you can put in front of SLT.
| Phonestow | US incumbent (lease) | Generic online pouches | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost model | One-off, from £8/pupil | £15–25/pupil, leased annually | £3–8, pouch only |
| Speed to go-live | Days from order to fitted | Weeks; US-scheduled | Fast, but you're on your own |
| Policy & Ofsted pack | Included, DfE-mapped | Training included; policy is yours to write | None |
| Fitting & staff briefing | In person, plus review visit | Remote-led | None |
| Replacements | Local spares, simple pricing | 15–20% a year, at lease rates | Re-order and hope |
A strong magnet will open any magnetic pouch on the market — including the market leader's. We won't pretend otherwise. What a pouch system does is remove the visible temptation, end the daily confiscation flashpoint, and give staff one consistent, inspectable routine. Our kit includes the spot-check protocol that keeps the deterrent honest. It's a policy tool, not a vault — and the schools that succeed treat it that way.
Since 29 June 2026, state schools in England must follow the DfE's "phone-free by default" guidance under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, and Ofsted has been asking about phone policies at inspection since January 2026. Pouches aren't mandatory — but a workable enforcement routine effectively is. Roughly 90% of secondaries restrict phones on paper; far fewer have a system that runs itself.
From £8 per pupil as a one-off. Many schools pass the pouch cost to parents through ParentPay — there's established precedent — making the scheme cash-neutral for the budget. Either way there's no annual lease: what you buy, you keep.
Stock permitting, days. A go-live is one day on site: stations fitted, staff briefed, assembly materials handed over. If September's already set, October half-term is the natural switch-on point — and a single year group makes a low-risk pilot.
The statutory guidance covers devices with "similar functionality", so our XL pouch takes a phone plus a watch and earbuds together. Ask when you order.
Phonestow is run from East Yorkshire by Luke Bolton — an engineer, not a call centre. We fit in person across Yorkshire & the Humber, carry public and product liability insurance, are DBS-checked, and follow your visitor policy on every visit. Phonestow is a trading name of Neighbourly Tasks Ltd.
Tell us your pupil numbers and target go-live date — we'll send a same-week quote and a free sample pouch you can put in front of SLT.
Get a quote & free sampleNow booking September fittings and October half-term switch-ons across Hull, East Riding, York & Leeds.