Labor's announcement is based on evidence from schools such as Davidson High School when students in years 7 to 10 were banned from using mobile phones at school and and follows consultation with parents and organisations like the Heads Up Alliance and the Centre for Digital Wellbeing, who have been advocating the benefits of this initiative.

Davidson High School principal David Rule said in August that there had been significant changes since the ban was implemented.

"Classrooms have effectively become phone-free and this has allowed staff to focus on educating students," he said in a school newsletter.

Mr Minns said documents obtained by NSW Labor show parents are leading the charge for a call to ban mobile phones in New South Wales schools.

Mobile phones are banned in primary schools in NSW but there is no mandatory restrictions on phones in high schools.

Currently, students from kindergarten to Year 6 are not permitted to have mobile phones in their possession during the school day.

Under Labor's policy, all NSW public school students would have their phones turned off during school hours and kept off and out of sight until the end of the school day.

There will be exemptions for students with special circumstances, such as needing to monitor a health condition, or when under the direct instruction of a teacher for educational purposes or with teacher permission for a specified purpose such as for language translation and communication.

"As a parent of three children myself, I share the concerns of parents worried about the impact of phones and devices on our kids and their learning," Mr Minns said in a statement.

"NSW Labor will restrict phone use in schools to help cut distraction, deal with cyber-bullying and help improve student outcomes."

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