Ministers have moved ahead with a pledge to ban mobile phones in schools, publishing guidance the Department for Education said would ensure consistency in classrooms across England.The new guidance was hailed as a significant step by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, who originally pledged to bring forward changes prohibiting mobile phone use in schools at last October's Tory conference.

Ministers have moved ahead with a pledge to ban mobile phones in schools, publishing guidance the Department for Education said would ensure consistency in classrooms across England.The new guidance was hailed as a significant step by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, who originally pledged to bring forward changes prohibiting mobile phone use in schools at last October's Tory conference.