Schools will soon liaise with parents on the amount of time children spend on smartphones when at home.

The Times has reported that a Department of Education circular will be sent out today, which will require all primary and secondary schools to put a policy in place over the use of smartphones.

The idea is to “ensure a shared approach” when it comes to the communication and phone use in students’ free time.

A study will look into what children use their phones for in school, how often they are allowed to use them and what they get up to at home.

This is to combat a number of things, including cyberbullying, concentration in school and to understand the dependence.

Restrictions will then be put in place depending on the results.

Richard Bruton, the education minister, said that schools should consider new measures to “ensure a shared approach” on phone use in students’ free time and at home.

“New technologies are fundamentally transforming the world we live in. These changes offer fantastic opportunities for our young people but also pose potential risks, which we as a government must respond to.”

What do you think about this? Should parents be more vigilant when it comes to what their kids get up to on their phones? Where does the discipline start - at home or at school?

Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook.