FRA9 · 25/08/2026 · Higher education
Phone use at school and lycée: the 2026 rules
The ministry’s 25 August announcement covers phone use from nursery school through lycée in 2026, with exceptions and local arrangements to check.
Archive photograph · 2019-01-20 · Celette · CC BY-SA 4.0. Celette ↗
The check depends on level and use
Read the national principle alongside local arrangements; no individual sanction is predicted.
| Situation | Reference point | Document to request |
|---|---|---|
| School and collège | Framework predates 2026 | Written exceptions |
| Lycée | Restricted use; possession distinct | Updated internal rules |
| Medical need | Need-specific exception | Agreed arrangements |
| Higher-education student in lycée | Specific regime possible | Programme’s rules |
| Confiscation | Written procedure and return | Your school’s rules |
See the essentials at a glance
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key points: Use, not possession · Lycée policy from autumn 2026 · Medical exceptions · School’s internal rules
The 2026 policy concerns use, not ownership
The Education Ministry’s 25 August 2026 announcement covers phone use from nursery school through lycée, including teaching activities outside school. The distinction is use: the headline does not mean pupils cannot own a device. Read the announcement together with medical exceptions and local implementation, rather than treating the short headline as the complete school rule.
Schools and collèges: an older framework
The school and collège use restriction did not begin in 2026. The September 2018 circular already covers lessons, breaks and teaching activities outside school, with exceptions tied to stated places and circumstances. Identify the child’s level and the proposed use first. A school outing does not automatically make unrestricted phone use permissible throughout the trip.
At lycée, read the written rule and storage arrangements
The ministry’s June 2026 lycée handbook makes the internal regulations essential and says they cannot ban possession of the device. Consultation with pupils and adoption by the governing board form part of that process. Ask for the current version: pouches, lockers and other storage arrangements should not be assumed identical across every lycée in France.
Health, teaching and higher education are distinct exceptions
Service Public separates equipment needed for a medical reason from exceptions set by the school. Lycées hosting BTS or preparatory-class students may establish specific arrangements for them. Do not extend a medical permission to every use or apply a higher-education student’s regime to a lycée pupil. Discuss the specific need with the school team before a problem arises.
Obtain the correct version of the rules
At collège and lycée, rules are supplied at enrolment or the start of term and displayed at school; boarding arrangements may be specific. Primary-school rules are presented to new parents and available on site. Keep your own school’s document and date. A national summary or another family’s experience does not establish the procedure that applies to your child.
If a rule is broken, check confiscation and return
Service Public’s collège and lycée guidance places confiscation and return arrangements in the internal regulations. Unauthorised use can lead to confiscation by the responsible staff; this does not predict one school’s response. Also establish how the family can be contacted when necessary, rather than relying on messages during lessons or assuming that every breach receives the same sanction.
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Publication team: FRA9 · Editorial lead: Pınar Mehmet
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