PhoneAway supplies lockable phone pouches to UK secondary schools on a simple monthly subscription. Every subscription includes a complete, editable Ofsted implementation kit covering policy, parent communication, staff procedures and outcome tracking.
The pouch system is designed around the natural rhythms of the school day. Each pupil has their own dedicated pouch. They lock it themselves on arrival, tutors verify at registration, and students unlock phones, using the magnet, at the gate when the day ends.
On arrival, each pupil places their phone in their own dedicated lockable pouch and locks it themselves. Form tutors verify during registration that pouches are secured. The pouch stays in their bag throughout the day so their phone is always with them, just inaccessible.
The locked pouch cannot be opened without the unlock magnet. No complicated setup. Pupils carry the pouch in their pocket or bag throughout lessons, break, and lunch. Supply staff need no training beyond a laminated quick-reference card.
At the end of the school day, students place their pouch on the magnet at each exit point to unlock it themselves as they leave. The number of magnets can be tailored to your exits and what flow works best for your school.
Every PhoneAway subscription includes eight editable template documents to help your school put a strong, evidence-based phone policy in place. Each one is a starting point your team can adapt to reflect your school's own approach and values.
A suggested policy structure covering scope, SEN exceptions, escalation procedures, safeguarding, sixth form and staff conduct. Includes a governor sign-off block and references to DfE January 2026 guidance. Adapt the language to reflect your school's approach.
A suggested parent letter covering how the system works, an FAQ addressing common concerns, and a return slip for capturing medical exceptions. The tone is supportive rather than prescriptive. Edit it to match the way your school communicates with families.
A suggested 8-slide assembly presentation your team can use as a starting point. It opens with data pupils find relevant, walks through how the day works in practice and includes a proposed FAQ slide. Presenter notes are on every slide. Amend the messaging to suit your school.
A suggested evidence summary drawing on published research including LSE (2015), UNESCO (2023) and Policy Exchange (2024). Provides a framework your governors can review and build on. Add your school's own context and experience as evidence accumulates.
A suggested set of day-to-day procedures your staff team can review and adopt. Covers the morning routine, daytime expectations, end-of-day process, proposed escalation steps, lost pouches and medical exceptions. Includes a laminate-ready quick-reference card for tutors and supply staff.
A suggested monitoring framework covering behaviour, pouch administration, wellbeing and staff observations. Tracking these metrics over time gives your school a clear picture of how the policy is bedding in and provides evidence you can share with governors. Use the metrics that are most meaningful for your school.
A suggested termly staff questionnaire covering implementation, learning, wellbeing and staff experience. Designed to be completed anonymously and to give school leaders an honest picture of how staff feel the policy is working in practice. Results aggregate automatically for easy review.
A suggested overview presentation summarising the full document set. A useful starting point for a governor discussion or staff briefing. Adapt it to reflect the decisions your school has made.
PhoneAway is rented, not bought. You pay a predictable monthly fee per pupil rather than a large upfront purchase. No capital approval needed and no commitment to stock you have not yet seen work for your school.
Policy compliant from day one. Pouches and basic documents included.
Full 8-document Ofsted kit, monitoring, priority support. Everything included.
Magnets are a one-off purchase, separate from the subscription. The right number depends on your exits and how you want to manage the unlock process. We will advise when you get in touch.
| Benefit | PhoneAway subscription |
|---|---|
| No large upfront spend on stock before you have seen it in use | ✓ |
| Sits in your operational budget, no capital approval needed | ✓ |
| Each pupil gets their own dedicated pouch, included in the fee | ✓ |
| Implementation documents included and kept up to date | ✓ |
| Cancel with 30 days notice if the system does not work for you | ✓ |
| Replacement pouches available at cost when needed | ✓ |
| Transparent pricing published online, no sales call required | ✓ |
All prices are exclusive of VAT. PhoneAway is currently below the VAT registration threshold so no VAT is charged. MAT and multi-site pricing is available on request.
PhoneAway is built around what actually matters in a secondary school: reducing distraction, supporting pupil wellbeing, and giving your team a system that is straightforward to run every day.
From April 2026*, Ofsted inspectors assess mobile phone policies on every visit. Schools without a clear, communicated, and evidence-backed policy risk failing the Behaviour and Attitudes judgement. The DfE January 2026 guidance is unambiguous: all schools should be phone-free by default.
PhoneAway makes compliance straightforward. One order, one download, and your school has a governor-ratified policy, a parent letter, a pupil assembly deck, research evidence, staff procedures, and an outcome tracking system ready to show any inspector within 30 minutes of customising.
Eight editable template documents covering policy, parent communication, pupil assembly, research evidence, staff procedures and outcome tracking. Each one is a starting point your team can shape to fit your school.
Our prices are published on this page. No quote required and no sales call needed. We think school business managers deserve to make informed decisions with all the information in front of them.
The number of magnets is matched to your school's layout and exits. No installation required and no IT involvement. We recommend a setup that keeps the unlock process smooth and fast for your specific site.
DfE guidance changed in January 2026. This kit reflects that update. When guidance changes again, subscribers receive updated documents automatically. Your evidence base stays current without any additional work from you.
We can arrange for you to see a sample pouch before you make any decision. We think you should be able to hold it, feel it and test it before a penny changes hands.
Because PhoneAway is a monthly subscription rather than a one-off purchase, you are not committing to buying stock outright before you know it works for your school. Pay monthly, cancel with 30 days notice and scale up when you are ready.
Straight answers to the things school business managers and headteachers want to know.
Tell us about your school and we will be in touch to talk through pricing, magnets and next steps. There is no commitment to proceed and no pressure. We want to make sure PhoneAway is right for your school before anything else.
We will be in touch within 2 working days to answer your questions and discuss what a PhoneAway subscription would look like for your school. If you would like to see a sample pouch before deciding, just let us know and we will arrange that as part of the conversation.
Takes under 2 minutes. No payment details required.