Victoria 2027
Victoria's 2027 phone ban: what non-government schools need to do now
From the start of the 2027 school year, Victoria's school restrictions on personal electronic devices are set to extend to independent and Catholic schools, and to cover smartwatches, wireless earbuds and personal audio devices.
KEY DATE
28 Jan
2027 school year start
Term 3 2026: trial the routine.
Term 4 2026: decide, order and communicate.
Day one 2027: make the policy real.
In plain English
From 28 January 2027, Victorian Catholic and independent schools are expected to need a policy restricting student use of personal electronic devices during school hours. The announced restrictions cover mobile phones, smartwatches and other wearables, and personal audio devices such as wireless earbuds. The detail may be further clarified through a Ministerial Order, so schools should prepare early and update their policy once final guidance lands.
Last checked: 13 June 2026
WHAT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED
What has been announced so far
In April 2026 the Victorian Government announced it would extend the device restrictions already in place in government schools to all non-government schools from 28 January 2027.
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Mobile phones switched off and stored away from the first bell to the final bell.
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Wearable devices, such as smartwatches, with notifications, cellular connection and recording functions switched off.
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Personal audio devices, such as wireless earbuds, not used during school hours.
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Exceptions for students who need a device to monitor a health condition.
The Bill appears to connect this requirement to school registration standards. That makes this a governance and compliance matter for your board or executive, not only a wellbeing initiative.
This page is practical guidance for planning, not legal advice. Confirm final requirements with your advisers and sector body once the Bill and any Ministerial Order are finalised.
THE TRAP
"We already have a phone policy."
Many non-government schools do, and the Catholic and independent sectors have moved earlier than most. That's a real head start. It also hides a real risk.
A policy document satisfies the requirement on paper. Whether it holds up across a full school day, with hundreds of students, is a different question.
The issue isn't the policy or the people. It's that compliance is invisible, enforcement falls unevenly on individual teachers, and good staff end up acting as phone police instead of teaching.
A policy without a mechanism is a suggestion.
YOUR OPTIONS
Three ways schools meet the requirement
There is no single mandated method. The practical question is which approach your school can enforce consistently, visibly and without adding more work for teachers.
"Off and away"
Phones off, kept in bags. Cheapest to introduce, hardest to enforce, because compliance is invisible.
Central storage
Phones collected and locked away centrally. Effective, but creates bottlenecks at the bells and custody concerns.
Students lock their own phone in a pouch they keep with them. Compliance is visible and teachers are not chasing phones all day.
Off and away
Central storage
Lockable pouches
Cost
Lowest
Moderate infrastructure
Moderate per student
Visibility
Low
High at collection
High all day
Staff burden
High and ongoing
Concentrated at bells
Low after routine settles
Who holds the phone
Student
School
Student, but locked
Best fit
Strong culture, small cohorts
Schools able to staff the bells
Visible compliance without custody
TIMELINE
Work backwards from 28 January 2027
Term 3, 2026
Trial
Run a small trial with one year level, a senior campus, or your leadership and pastoral group.
End Term 3
Review and decide
Look at incidents, staff feedback, parent concerns and the practical flow at the bells.
Early Term 4
Sign off and order
Ordering in October gives you delivery without drama before every school is on the same clock.
Nov to Dec
Communicate
Brief staff first, then parents, then students, before the holidays.
Common questions about Victoria’s 2027 phone restrictions
When does the Victorian phone ban apply to non-government schools?
From the start of the 2027 school year, 28 January 2027, based on the Victorian Government's announcement.
Does it apply to Catholic and independent schools?
Yes. The announced change extends the restrictions already in place in government schools to all non-government schools.
Does it cover smartwatches?
Yes. Wearables such as smartwatches are included in the announced restrictions.
Are lockable pouches required?
No. Pouches are one way to make compliance visible. They are not the mandated method.
What is the difference between a phone policy and a mechanism?
A policy sets the rule. A mechanism makes the rule visible and repeatable.
WHY SCREENFREE
Local, ready, and built for exactly this
screenfree is Melbourne-based and founder-run. We supply lockable and signal-blocking pouches to schools across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia, with no contracts and no minimum terms.