Lichfield dyslexia school welcomes phone ban - but says enforcement will be the real test for others

A specialist school for dyslexic pupils in Lichfield has welcomed the government's announcement that mobile phones are to be banned in schools by law - but warns that schools which have not already embedded the policy will face a significant enforcement challenge.

Maple Hayes Hall School has operated a total ban on mobile phones since they became a feature of everyday life, viewing the policy not as a restriction but as a fundamental part of the school's educational ethos. Pupils at the school, which specialises in teaching children with dyslexia and learning differences, are here to build literacy skills - and that requires sustained concentration and focus.

Dr Daryl Brown, Co-Principal of Maple Hayes Hall School, said: "We have never allowed mobile phones at Maple Hayes. From the moment they became commonplace, the position was clear - it has never been a debate here. It is simply part of the daily routine and pupils know exactly where they stand. Our focus is on education, and specifically on developing the literacy skills that our pupils need to thrive. Mobile phones are a distraction from that."

"We welcome the government making this statutory, but the harder question is how schools that have tolerated phone use will now enforce a ban. Embedding a new culture takes time, and it will not happen overnight. For us it has never been an issue because it was never a habit that was allowed to form."

The school draws pupils from across the Midlands, with many travelling considerable distances by taxi to attend. In recognition of those long journeys, the school permits pupils to carry phones for travel purposes - but the ban applies from the moment they arrive on site.

Maple Hayes Hall School was established in 1982 by Dr Neville Brown and his wife Brenda. Dr Brown's doctoral research in psycholinguistics underpins the school's distinctive morphological teaching method - a visual, icon-based approach to English language that has proved highly effective for dyslexic learners where traditional phonics instruction has not.