Dutch school phone ban 2027: what is decided, what is proposed, and how to set family rules

Since 2024, children in Dutch schools have not been allowed to use their phones in class. On 5 October 2026, the cabinet said it wants to go one step further: phones should stay at home or in a locker for the whole school day, breaks included, in every primary and secondary school. The target date is 1 January 2027.

There is an important catch. The Dutch government has no power to order schools to ban phones. Schools in the Netherlands run with a lot of autonomy, so this change, like the classroom ban before it, is being pursued through an agreement with the education sector. Headlines can make it sound as if a ban is already law. As of 24 October 2026, it is a proposal.

This article starts from DutchNews' report and separates what is already in force from what is still being negotiated. It also covers the other parts of the same package, including family vlog rules, the official screen-time guidance by age, what breaks look like in practice, how international schools fit in, and how families can agree on phone rules at home.

Main sources for this article

• DutchNews, "Cabinet wants phones out of schools from January" (5 October 2026)
• Rijksoverheid, "Kabinet presenteert strategie om kinderen online te beschermen" (5 October 2026)
• Rijksoverheid, "Duidelijk advies voor ouders: wacht met sociale media tot 15 jaar" (16 June 2025)
• Rijksoverheid, "Hogere boetes en strengere regels voor vlogfamilies met meer dan 50.000 volgers" (18 December 2025)
• VO-raad, "Vrijwel alle vo-scholen volgen landelijke afspraak over smartphonegebruik in de klas" (7 July 2025)

1. What happened in October 2026

The classroom ban arrived in stages from 2024. In October 2026 the government proposed extending it to the whole school day. Here is the sequence.

The online children's rights strategy

On 5 October 2026, State Secretary Willemijn Aerdts, responsible for the digital economy, sent parliament a strategy letter on children's rights online (Strategiebrief online kinderrechten) (Rijksoverheid, 5 October 2026). School phones are one part of it. The others are a European minimum age for social media, safety requirements for digital services, and support for parents.

DutchNews reported that the package also tightens rules on children appearing in family vlogs and aims to limit the time children spend scrolling (DutchNews, 5 October 2026). The government will also run children's rights impact assessments on Netflix, YouTube, Roblox, Fortnite, ChatGPT, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.

What "thuis of in de kluis" means

Thuis of in de kluis means "at home or in the locker". Pupils either leave their phone at home or lock it away when they arrive. The phone is not used in lessons, during breaks or at lunch.

According to the government, many schools already work this way and the early results are positive. It wants the rule to apply in all schools, and the state secretary for education will make agreements with the sector (Rijksoverheid, 5 October 2026). IamExpat notes that exact rules and exceptions are still being negotiated (IamExpat, October 2026).

Why the government cannot simply order it

Dutch schools are run by school boards (schoolbesturen) with wide freedom over how they organise teaching. The 2024 classroom ban was not a law either. It was a national agreement (landelijke afspraak) between the government and education organisations. DutchNews makes the same point: the government does not have the power to order schools to comply, so the education ministry will work with schools on an agreement.

So even if a deal is reached for 2027, schools will probably still decide details such as lockers, lunch breaks and what happens when a pupil breaks the rule.

2. Decided versus proposed

"Phone ban" covers several different things: one rule in force, one bill in preparation, and several pieces of advice or proposals. Separating them avoids planning around the wrong one.

The table below shows the status of each measure as of 24 October 2026.

Only two things have a direct effect on your child's day right now: the classroom ban and whatever extra rules your child's school has set. The rest shows the direction of travel. Your school's own communication is what counts.

Why headlines say "ban"

English headlines often blur intention and decision. NL Times ran "Dutch government to completely ban smartphones from schools", while explaining in the text that arrangements still have to be made with the sector (NL Times, 5 October 2026). Read past the headline.

How schools responded

The secondary schools council VO-raad supports the broad approach but says the current national agreement is sufficient for phones. It would rather see that agreement applied consistently than a mandatory locker rule for every school (VO-raad, 6 October 2026). Whatever is agreed will have to bridge that gap.

3. How the classroom ban works since 2024

To follow the new debate, it helps to know exactly what the existing rule covers. It applies to lessons only. Breaks are left to the school.

According to the government, it covers phones, tablets and smartwatches, and bans non-educational use during lessons (Rijksoverheid, "Mobiele apparaten in de klas").

The principle is "nee, tenzij": no, unless. Devices are allowed when a lesson needs them, or when a pupil depends on a phone for medical reasons or because of a disability (Rijksoverheid, 7 November 2023).

Pupils who qualify for an exception

DutchReview gave the example of a pupil with diabetes who tracks blood sugar on a phone (DutchReview, 5 July 2023). Other cases, such as a medical condition that requires contact or a translation app needed in lessons, are discussed with the school individually. Exceptions are not automatic. Raise them when your child enrols or changes school.

How each school writes its rules

The details are set school by school. Kennisnet, the public organisation for ICT in education, gives schools a six-step process (Kennisnet).

The MR is the medezeggenschapsraad, the participation council with parent, staff and (in secondary schools) pupil members. Kennisnet says policy changes need MR approval, and the final rules and sanctions go into the pupil statute (leerlingenstatuut). If you want a say, the MR is the formal route.

4. What breaks look like today

The new proposal is all about breaks. Because the current rule leaves breaks to schools, some already ban phones all day while others allow them between lessons.

The numbers

A government-commissioned evaluation of secondary schools, by the Kohnstamm Instituut and Oberon and sent to parliament on 3 July 2025, found that 99% of school leaders had a policy in line with the agreement, and just over 57% already used "at home or in the locker" (VO-raad, 7 July 2025).

Parents were surveyed too. In the annual survey by the parents' organisation Ouders & Onderwijs, 48% of parents said their child's school bans phones in the whole building, up from 12% three years earlier. 87% support the classroom ban and 70% favour a whole-building ban (NL Times, 14 April 2026).

The pattern is clear: parents are strongly in favour, children much less so. In the same survey, 52% of children were positive about no phones in class, but only 31% backed a total ban. Parents who oppose a full ban mostly worry about missing timetable changes and not being able to reach their child straight away.

Breaks in primary school

In primary schools (basisscholen), few pupils bring phones, and phone use in class is not seen as a major problem (NJi, 17 July 2024). Expatica explains that primary schools include at least 45 minutes of break time a day, and many let children choose between going home for lunch and staying at school. Children who stay are often supervised by external staff, and parents may pay a fee called overblijfgeld (Expatica).

Because lunch supervision is often outsourced, it is worth checking whether the school's phone rules also apply during that time.

Breaks in secondary school

There are about 1,600 secondary schools in the Netherlands. In June 2025, almost half still allowed phones between lessons and during breaks, NL Times reported, when a D66 MP proposed extending "at home or in the locker" to all of them (NL Times, 10 June 2025).

Near The Hague, ISW Sweelincklaan in Westland banned phones from the entire school site in June 2024: pupils leave them at home or put them in a locker (Rodi, June 2024).

5. What the evidence says so far

The government justifies the extension by pointing to positive early results. Here is what public research says, and what it does not yet show.

The primary school figures come from summaries of the evaluation report (Kohnstamm Instituut and Oberon report, officielebekendmakingen.nl). Check the report itself for exact percentages.

The education inspectorate

The Inspectie van het Onderwijs published its annual State of Education report on 15 April 2026. DutchNews reported that physical and psychological violence reported in schools rose 25% compared with 2024, and that 6,248 pupils were suspended for violent behaviour. The chief inspector said social media fights are often hard for teachers to see and called for a social media ban for under-15s. About two-thirds of schools ban phones, and schools with a full ban reported fewer bullying and social media incidents (DutchNews, 16 April 2026; report at Inspectie van het Onderwijs).

Young people's wellbeing

The international HBSC survey, run every four years, found in 2025 that more than a quarter of Dutch secondary pupils have low emotional wellbeing: 37% of girls and 16% of boys. About a third are in contact with others on social media almost all day (VO-raad, 21 September 2026). When the 2025 guidelines were published, the government said almost 13% of young people are at risk of problematic social media use.

None of this can be solved by school rules alone. Most screen time happens outside school, which is why the home side matters just as much.

6. Official screen-time guidance by age

The most useful tool for family rules is the government's June 2025 "Guidelines for healthy and responsible screen and social media use". They are aimed at everyone raising children aged 0 to 16 in the Netherlands. They are advice, not law (Rijksoverheid, 16 June 2025).

The same guidance as a table:

Beyond the numbers, the guidelines stress that screen use should be age-appropriate, shared, and balanced with other activities. Because there is no hour figure for ages 2 to 11, families with younger children will need to set rules around what, with whom and when, rather than a time limit.

Video calls with family abroad

Many international families wonder how video calls with grandparents fit the "no screens under two" advice. It is guidance, not a rule. A short call with a parent sitting alongside, where the child interacts with a real person, is quite different from watching videos alone. Agreeing a regular slot, for example one call at the weekend, helps keep the balance the guidance is aiming for.

7. Social media age limits and the EU

Social media age limits are being handled at European level rather than by the Netherlands alone.

The Commission's guidelines under the Digital Services Act, published on 14 July 2025, ask platforms to make minors' accounts private by default and to switch off features that drive excessive use, such as streaks, autoplay and push notifications, by default (European Commission, 14 July 2025).

The Dutch government wants the minimum age set at European level, not in national law. DutchNews reported that France passed a law barring under-15s from social media, but its Constitutional Council ruled it unconstitutional in its current form, and the French government is redrafting it (DutchNews, 25 August 2026). Ministers have said that strict online age verification faces major technical, legal and organisational hurdles.

For families, this means that for now, the starting age for social media is a household decision, backed by app age settings. IamExpat also presents age 15 as the official Dutch advice (IamExpat).

A city that went first

In May 2026, all school boards in Arnhem, the childcare organisation SKAR, social organisations and the municipality jointly urged parents to delay smartphones as long as possible and allow social media only from 16. It was reported as the first time so many parties in one Dutch city had done this together (NL Times, 14 May 2026). The same report describes a Montessori primary school where the no-phone rule also applies to parents and teachers in the schoolyard.

8. Family vlogs and kidfluencers

The strategy also tightens rules on children in family vlogs. This runs separately from school phones, through an amendment to the Working Hours Act (Arbeidstijdenwet).

Parents already need an exemption (ontheffing) when a child appears in online videos with a clear commercial purpose. But the line between hobby and work is often blurry, and the Labour Inspectorate (Arbeidsinspectie) has found the rule hard to enforce (Rijksoverheid, 21 May 2025).

The plan announced on 18 December 2025 looks like this (Rijksoverheid, 18 December 2025):

The government's business portal also says the start date is not yet known (Ondernemersplein). IamExpat reported that the October strategy would treat commercial content featuring or made by children under 16 as child labour (IamExpat, October 2026). That age and scope could not be confirmed in the government's own announcement, so the final lines will only be clear when the bill is published.

Sharing with relatives abroad

In short: private video calls, messaging apps and closed family albums are not covered. The rules target commercial accounts with 50,000+ followers that earn money. Sending weekly videos to grandparents, or putting sports day photos in a shared family album, is not affected.

What the rules leave open is public posting. Even a small public account is worth thinking about from the point of view of how your child may feel about it later.

School photos and other children's privacy

School events produce photos of other people's children too. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) says schools need consent to publish identifiable photos or videos of pupils, and for pupils under 16 that consent comes from parents (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).

That rule is for schools, but the same thinking works at home. Choose photos without other children's faces, or keep them within family-only spaces. Read the photo consent form (toestemmingsformulier) your school sends at enrolment and choose deliberately.

9. Dutch schools, international schools and national schools

International families use a mix of Dutch schools, government-funded international schools and private or foreign national schools. Whether the national agreement applies depends on the type.

ACCESS explains that government-funded international schools, which are English-language departments of Dutch schools, follow education ministry rules. Private international schools and national schools such as the French, German or Japanese schools teach their own curricula and are not subject to Dutch inspectorate quality checks (ACCESS).

The Hague International Centre notes that the Hague region has the largest choice of international schools in the country, with the International School of The Hague, HSV, the European School and others receiving government funding (The Hague International Centre). Xpat.nl explains that funded schools have set admission criteria for internationally mobile families (Xpat.nl).

Private schools in practice

"Own policy" does not mean "anything goes". International School Eindhoven, for example, published a secondary policy in response to the government's recommendations under which phones are not used during the school day, including breaks and lunch (ISE). Check your own school's handbook rather than assuming.

Weekend schools and activities

Many international families also use weekend language schools or after-school clubs. Rules can differ: a phone may be locked away on weekdays but needed on Saturday to arrange pick-up. For children, the question "where can I use it and where not?" gets confusing quickly. A simple family list helps.

10. Setting family rules

Even with stricter school rules, most screen time happens at home. The government has tools for that side too.

Its campaign "Blijf in Beeld" ("stay in the picture") is aimed at parents of children getting their first smartphone, and offers an agreement card (afsprakenkaart) for parents and children to fill in together. A new campaign phase began on 25 August 2026. A government-commissioned poll of 10- to 15-year-olds found that children get their first smartphone at age 10 on average, and that half sometimes see posts that frighten or upset them (Rijksoverheid, 25 August 2026). 89.4% said they understood why phone agreements matter, and many said they do not tell their parents about bad experiences out of shame or fear of an angry reaction (NL Times, 25 August 2026).

What to put on the agreement card

Given the poll results, the "upsetting content" line may matter most. Children often stay quiet because they expect a telling-off. If parents promise up front that telling us will never get you into trouble, children find it easier to speak up.

By age group

For younger primary pupils, the usual approach is no own phone and shared family devices used together with a parent. Groups 6 to 8 (roughly age 9 to 12) are when families start deciding on a phone for contact; the government suggests group 8. In secondary school, chat apps begin, and timetable changes and homework arrive online, so the phone becomes part of school logistics even if it stays in a locker during the day.

Settings worth checking

Many international families use app store accounts from another country, where age ratings may differ from Dutch ones. If a child uses apps bought on a parent's account, check that parental controls actually work as intended. When adding a child to a family group chat, also check that strangers cannot message them.

11. Common misunderstandings

These are the points most often misread.

One more common slip is starting the school year without reading the school guide (schoolgids). Phone rules can change every year, and some schools publish them only in Dutch. Even with a translation tool, it is worth reading that section.

12. Example situations (fictional)

Here are three families in different situations. All of them are fictional.

The Garcias' child is in group 5 at a Dutch primary school. Phones are banned in class and the child does not have one yet. On club days, a parent's phone is enough for pick-up. The government suggests waiting until group 8, so there is no rush. Video calls with grandparents happen at a fixed weekend time with a parent present.

The Patels' school is part of the debate about a full-day ban. Breaks are currently phone-friendly, but the school may move to lockers in 2027. Timetable changes come via the school app, so the family agrees to check them once after school.

The Müllers' school is outside the national agreement but has its own rules. Because they expect to move in two years, they also look up how schools in their next country handle phones, so the change is not a surprise.

13. What not to do

Finally, a few things to avoid, and why.

14. Checklist

• Read the phone section of your child's school guide (schoolgids)
• Check how breaks and lunch are handled and whether there are lockers
• Tell the school about any medical or other need for an exception
• List the rules for weekend schools, clubs and other places
• Share the government's age guidance as a family
• Fill in the agreement card (afsprakenkaart) together
• Tell your child that reporting something upsetting will not get them in trouble
• Agree how often to call and share photos with relatives abroad
• Check what you share from school events, and with whom
• Watch for school communication about January 2027, and read it

15. Summary

• The classroom ban that began in 2024 is in force through a national agreement
• The whole-day "at home or in the locker" rule announced on 5 October 2026 is a proposal, with 1 January 2027 as the target
• The government cannot order schools to comply, so the details depend on a sector deal and school rules will still vary
• Official guidance: no screens under 2, max three hours a day from 12, first phone from group 8, social media from 15
• Planned family vlog rules cover monetised accounts with 50,000+ followers, not private family sharing
• Government-funded international schools are covered; private international and national schools set their own policies
• At home, read the school rules, write down family agreements together, and review them every few months

Sources

Government and public bodies

• Kabinet presenteert strategie om kinderen online te beschermen — Rijksoverheid: the October 2026 strategy and the January 2027 target
• Mobiele apparaten in de klas — Rijksoverheid: current rules, devices, dates and exceptions
• Ook afspraken over mobieltjes op basisscholen — Rijksoverheid: extension to primary and special education
• Duidelijk advies voor ouders: wacht met sociale media tot 15 jaar — Rijksoverheid: screen-time guidance by age
• Kinderen krijgen steeds jonger een smartphone — Rijksoverheid: Blijf in Beeld and the agreement card
• Strengere regels voor vlogfamilies en kidfluencers — Rijksoverheid: current exemption rules
• Hogere boetes en strengere regels voor vlogfamilies — Rijksoverheid: 50,000-follower threshold, ages and fines
• Ouders moeten ontheffing aanvragen voor kindvlogs — Ondernemersplein: start date not yet known
• Smartphonebeleid op school — Kennisnet: six steps for school policy and MR approval
• De staat van het onderwijs — Inspectie van het Onderwijs: annual report, 15 April 2026
• Kohnstamm Instituut and Oberon evaluation — officielebekendmakingen.nl: evaluation of the national agreement
• Visual material in education — Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens: consent for school photos
• Guidelines on the protection of minors — European Commission: DSA guidance, July 2025
• Meeste scholen hebben mobieltje verbannen — NJi: primary and special education survey results

Education organisations

• Vrijwel alle vo-scholen volgen landelijke afspraak — VO-raad: 99% and 57% figures, July 2025
• Kabinet presenteert brede aanpak — VO-raad: sector response
• HBSC 2025 — VO-raad: pupil wellbeing and social media use

Media for international residents

• Cabinet wants phones out of schools from January — DutchNews: starting point for this article
• Inspectors link school violence to social media — DutchNews: inspectorate figures
• Many Dutch children hide upsetting online posts — DutchNews: government poll and EU developments
• Dutch government to completely ban smartphones from schools — NL Times: the 5 October announcement
• Dutch parents want complete smartphone ban at school — NL Times: Ouders & Onderwijs survey
• MPs want to ban smartphones from schools entirely — NL Times: breaks in secondary schools
• Arnhem first Dutch city to urge parents — NL Times: local joint advice
• Dutch kids get first smartphone at age 10 — NL Times: average first-phone age
• Dutch cabinet to ban phones for the entire school day from 2027 — IamExpat: negotiations and kidfluencer reporting
• Official Dutch guidelines set minimum age for social media at 15 — IamExpat: summary of the guidelines
• The Netherlands has officially banned phones in schools — DutchReview: the July 2023 announcement and exceptions
• Primary schools in the Netherlands — Expatica: the primary school day and breaks
• International schools — ACCESS: funded versus private schools
• Schooling for expat kids in NL — Xpat.nl: school types and admission
• Government funded international schools — The Hague International Centre: funded schools in the Hague region

Schools and local reporting

• ISW Sweelincklaan bant mobieltjes van schoolterrein — Rodi: a local secondary school example
• Mobile Phone Policy — International School Eindhoven: a private international school policy

All sources were checked on 24 October 2026. School phone rules differ by school and may change ahead of January 2027, so check the latest communication from your child's school.

Original article

Cabinet wants phones out of schools from January — DutchNews