Using phone for school lessons

I'm slightly wondering if your DD and mine know each other @BertBox! DD2 has also messaged me to ask me to add Kahoot to the 'approved websites' list on her phone because the tutor group is doing quizzes every Friday. Her school doesn't expect phones to be seen unless teachers give them permission to be used for specific activities although that's tended to be further up the school from what I can make out. I've added Kahoot to the list but told DD she should be logging in to the school WiFi whilst using it. I believe it's a case of selecting the school WiFi and using their IT login details so will, hopefully, be straightforward.

I agree Wombat, it's better for kids to be allowed to use the school WiFi so that they can apply filters.

Our children’s school has a policy that when using internet in school they must be on school WiFi. It is so they can block unsuitable sites etc. It is a school which allows fairly free use use if phones through the day. There are often Kahoots in lessons from what I hear. I guess there will be a few kids without smart phones so I do t know what they do...I think there might be school laptops or tablets too.

Why can’t all schools I’ve access to the school WiFi so that phones can be used when required by the teacher? They could still have no-use policies at other times?

I agree with you Bertbox. I don't know why a school would ask students to use mobile phones during lessons. I do not give my daughter who is in year 8 access to Whatsapp, Tick tock or any apps on her phone. In fact she only has a 'brick' mobile phone and so cannot access the internet at all on her phone, she can just call people and text message. She does have her own PC and email address to use at home as I am able to put filters on her PC to make sure she only accesses stuff suitable for her age. She is very computer literate ie doesn't need to access the internet on her phone to learn to use computers, in fact she often helps me with my computer questions! She is also able to make all her social plans using phone call/ text/ email. I think all schools should watch the Social Dilemma, it's very worrying.

If she's content, keep it that way.

We're lucky that mobiles are not allowed in school, so very little pressure there. DD had a non-smart phone in year 7, and was quite happy. She now has a PAYG, uses wifi at home, and keeps data off as default (as do I - I have wifi access at most places I go regularly anyway). We originally said no to WhatsApp - we offered to relent during lockdown, but she said she was happy to continue without and her friends would just have to use other means to contact her.

If school policy is that phones shouldn't be used in class, then I'd be querying it if they are then being required. Policy and practice should be the same, so that parents know what to expect, and can budget accordingly.

@redskyatnight of course, me and you know that. You would be surprised how many 11 hear olds have complete free reign on their phone with no internet restrictions. You can educate as much as you like but there are just certain things 11 year old brains are not ready to process. It is often seen as uncool to not join these groups and there is immense peer pressure to fit in. I know for a fact my DD is the only one out of 3 of her close friends that has random phone checks and only one other has phone restrictions where internet cuts off at 11:30pm. I think that's a bit crazy given they're only 12.
I'm not even that old, I had internet growing up and we used a lot of it at school. I think schools have lost the plot asking kids to take phones out for kahoot.

My son uses his phone for kahoot, his timetable and to access his homework. The school supplies the WiFi password, and I pay £8 a month for about 4gb of data (I think). He uses his phone to talk to his mates while gaming on his switch and his iPad, and also for playing games at break time with a group of his friends. He knows that he’s to come off at electronics at 7.30pm. I couldn't realistically expect him to use his phone as little as you state. He’s in yr8.

Bullies will find a way but these kids make huuuge whatsapp groups and it gets very intense in them. There is a lot of cussing each other and useless chat. One of my DDs groups had over 250 kids in it. Highly unlikely they all know each other.

DS uses his phone in school a lot, both in class (Kahoot but lots of other things too) and also between classes (all timetable and homework info is on an app, plus he gets in early so messes about on his phone before registration). I allow WA but no other social media or Tiktok (he's Y8). I monitor his WA account regularly. All the kids can access the school WiFi so data isn't a problem.

I'm not sure why she is less likely to be bullied on a messenger chat group than on WhatsApp? But fair, enough if none of her friends are using it, then she's not missing anything. You should be prepared for when they do start using it and/or Snapchat and/or Instagram though.

I don't think you're Draconian. DD is in Y8 and we've scaled back. She got WhatsApp and it was a nightmare in Y7. Seems to have stopped now. Regret getting tiktok completely. She got so addicted and stopped doing art and stop motion which she loved before.
She now has an hour for both her iPad and phone a day. I've kept apps like art and camera without restrictions. Completely different child. She has unlimited access to her own laptop and she's been completely fine with it. So I'm sure it's just social media not the actual internet that horrible.

She goes to a super strict school and there is absolutely no kahoot on phones. They do it on school Chromebooks if they do do it.

No Tiktok - fine.

No whatsapp? Doesn't everybody use whatsapp?

Phones are regularly used at DD’s school during class. I actually had to start letting her take her phone to school because apparently I was one of only a few parents who had not been allowing it to be carried during the school day (I checked with the school on this, didn’t just trust dd). It’s an incredibly wealthy school though so unlimited smartphone plans for children are pretty much standard. The school also provides a laptop for every student, but phones are easier for some activities.

Mobile Apps you have to find a balance.
Far too many parents put on draconian rules only to find out that their child has a secret phone/secret accounts.

Most teenagers message through WhatsApp which needs internet access and then other social media platforms - Instagram, Snap Chat etc

No one really texts - and you can't do cross android / iPhone group chats with text.

At DD's school they all have iPads and they all use the school WiFi with them. Not allowed to use their phones at school at all.

There's a difference between allowing phones in school and kids messing around on them, and using them to help enhance learning. Kahoot is great. We use it at home sometimes.

DSs school have made it clear that they will issue 1 time passwords to students who don't have a lot of data for whatever reason.
DS2 has a cheap sim only deal which gives him plenty of data and works out as much better value than PAYG.