Phones Banned in School: Why Pen and Paper Are Back – and How to Prepare Your Child
Smartphones are leaving the classroom – and pen and paper are coming back. Italy has been one of the first countries in Europe to act, and the debate is now spreading across the EU.
What changed in Italian schools
In July 2024, Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara signed a rule banning mobile phones in primary and middle schools from the start of the 2024/25 school year. Phones had been banned in Italian classrooms since 2007, but they could still be used for teaching purposes; the new rule removed that exception. Laptops and tablets can still be used where they genuinely help learning.
One of the stated aims is to protect the ability to write with pen and paper, which the minister said was at risk of being lost among young people. The ministry also brought back the paper homework diary, in which pupils write down their tasks by hand.
Italy takes the idea to Europe
In May 2025, Italy presented a proposal in Brussels to keep phones out of schools across the EU for children up to 14, with the option of going further. According to the minister, ten countries had joined or announced their support, including France, Austria, Sweden and Greece.
What this means for younger children
If writing by hand is becoming an everyday school skill again, the years before primary school are the perfect time to build it – calmly and through play. Children who already know how to hold a pencil and form their first letters start school with more confidence.
5 habits to build writing skills at home
- A writing corner. A small table, good light and pencils within reach make writing a normal part of the day.
- Check the grip. Encourage holding the pencil between thumb and index finger, resting on the middle finger. Short, thick pencils are easier for small hands.
- Ten minutes a day. A short daily routine – after breakfast or before dinner – is easier to keep than long sessions.
- Real-life writing. Let your child “write” the shopping list, a birthday card or their name on their drawings.
- Letters as a game. Draw letters in sand or flour, build them with play dough, or spot them on signs when you're out.
A practical tool for every day
The EUROROX™ Magic Practice Copybook makes the daily routine easy: four books for letters, numbers, maths and drawing, with guided tracing and ink that disappears by itself. The same pages can be used again and again – no rubbing out, no new books, less paper waste.