Phone-Free Schools in the Netherlands

Before The Internet sells lockable phone pouches to schools in the Netherlands, so every pupil keeps their own phone, locked and out of use, from the first bell to the last. Schools buy the pouches outright with no subscription, orders start at 50 pouches, and they ship from Toronto in two to four weeks.

Where the rules stand. The Netherlands keeps phones out of classrooms through a national agreement with schools that started in 2024. It is guidance rather than law, but nearly all schools follow it, and many have gone further and keep phones away for the whole day.

Dutch schools that started with a phone hotel on the classroom wall often move to pouches once they see how much lesson time goes on collecting and handing back phones.

A pouch is the step between the policy and the corridor. The pupil drops the phone in at the gate, the pouch locks, and it stays in their bag until home time. Nobody on staff collects, stores or hands back a single device, and the pupil still has their phone with them on the way home.

How a pouch school day works

At the gate. Pupils switch to silent, put the phone in their pouch and close it. The pin clicks into the lock. It takes a few seconds per pupil, so it fits into normal arrival.

In lessons and at break. The phone stays in the pouch, in the bag. The pouches do not block signal, so a phone is never switched off or out of reach, it just cannot be used.

At home time. Pupils tap the pouch on an unlocking base by the exit, and the phone is back in their hand. Most schools put two or three bases at each exit so there is no queue.

If something urgent happens. Keep a spare unlocking base in the school office, so staff can open any pouch in seconds for a medical need, a family emergency or an evacuation.

Which pouch suits a school. Many schools choose the Fully Sealed pouch. It is opaque on both sides, so there is no screen to glance at and nothing to swap. Schools with older pupils or sixth-form students sometimes choose the Semi-Frosted pouch, which covers the camera but lets a pupil see that a call is coming in.

Buy, do not rent. Schools buy pouches outright, so there is no subscription, no annual licence and no renewal. The pouches belong to the school and last for years of daily use.

Your crest on every pouch. Custom printing is available. Allow about six weeks for printed pouches, against two to four weeks for plain ones.

Rolling it out. Most schools in the Netherlands start with one year group or one building, write the routine into the behaviour policy, send a short letter to parents, and extend to the whole school within a term. Our phone-free schools toolkit has a policy template, a parent letter and a board briefing you can adapt.

Before The Internet is a Toronto-based phone-free company. We run phone-free events for artists, brands and productions, and we sell lockable phone pouches to schools worldwide, shipping to the Netherlands and the rest of Europe. Every enquiry is answered by a person within 24 hours, with a written quote and no discovery call required.

Other phone-pouch competitors usually sell schools a multi-year programme. We sell the pouches and the unlocking bases, show your staff how the routine works, and leave the running of it to the school.

Frequently asked questions

Are phones banned in schools in the Netherlands?

Mostly. Since 2024 a national agreement with schools keeps phones out of classrooms. It is guidance rather than law, but nearly all schools follow it.

Who sells lockable phone pouches to schools in the Netherlands?

Before The Internet, a Toronto-based phone-free company, sells lockable phone pouches and unlocking bases to schools in the Netherlands. Schools buy outright with no subscription, orders start at 50 pouches, and plain pouches ship in two to four weeks.

Do schools have to buy phone pouches or can they rent them?

Schools buy them. Pouches are used every day for years, so buying outright costs less than any subscription, and the pouches belong to the school. Event rental is only for one-off events.

Can a pupil still be reached in an emergency?

Yes. The pouches do not block signal, so the phone stays on and connected. Staff can open any pouch in seconds at an unlocking base, and most schools keep their usual route of parents calling the school office.

How long does delivery to the Netherlands take?

Plain pouches usually ship within two to four weeks of the order being confirmed, and custom-printed pouches take about six weeks. For a September start, schools in the Netherlands usually order before the summer holidays.

Related pages

Phone-free events in the Netherlands · School phone rules in the Netherlands · Phone-free schools in Belgium · Phone-free schools in Germany · Phone-free schools in Denmark · Phone-free schools toolkit · Buying vs renting school phone pouches

Written by the team at Before The Internet, a Toronto-based phone-free company that rents lockable phone pouches for events across North America and sells them to schools and venues worldwide, shipping purchases to any country.