Obviously kids will still try and get round it, but an outright phone ban makes it a lot easier for teachers to police. If you see a phone, it’s confiscated.

Vs

“Put your phone away in class”

“Sorry Miss”

5 seconds later

“I said put it away!”

They were banned in the late 90s when I went to school.

The kids with phones still had them in their bags.

Some of our local schools force kids to put their phones in lockable bags that can’t be opened during the school day. Keeps school happy thinking it’s stopped access to phones… meanwhile lots of the kids take a second phone with them. My sons school is considering some sort of phone locker that parents rent! It’s all performative.