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Original poster

Government announces ban on mobile phones in schools

237 replies

noblegiraffe · 01/10/2023 23:06

...because it won't cost them anything and there won't be any pushback because the vast majority of schools banned phones years ago.

Perhaps they could also ban kids running in corridors or pushing in the lunch queue.

What a waste of time government this is.

(by 'banning phones' it's generally accepted to mean kids can have them in their bags but they must be turned off or at least on silent and never seen - so any parental cries of 'but they need them for the journey home' are irrelevant.)

OP posts:
BringItOnxxx · 02/10/2023 07:51

Interesting! They did this at the Banksy exhibition.

lljkk · 02/10/2023 07:52

Our school moved away from punishing the kids for forgetting their PE kit. The PE teachers hated it. They found it was mostly kids who live between homes (parents live in different homes so child's stuff moves around different homes) which is why the PE kit got forgotten. So pupils don't get detention for that any more.

Queues to buy school food are very long, takes all lunch time to get something potentially, and school food is expensive, so I was thinking about packed lunches being forgotten. How would child make sure parent was bringing a lunch to avoid the unnecessary expense?

Which messaging App? Does the teacher send the message or have to find someone in office to send the message ? Who thinks communicating to the office what the message should say is a good use of teacher time? What if there is a Q at student reception, so that the child is late to class because they were waiting to ask reception to message parent about the forgot lunch that needs bringing in?

What if the child forgot when they agreed to play in netball game after school, that they have an orthodontist appt on same afternoon. Is the parent supposed to message back to the App to say child can't go, so the person in the office can then track down both the PE teacher and the student, to remind them that the orthodontist is today & therefore child can't attend the Netball match? Will the office person then return to the App to confirm with the parent that the child has received the message and everything is back to what parent needs?

lljkk · 02/10/2023 07:56

DS was just telling me about a recent PSHE lesson where they were asked by their teacher to use their phones to "research" A-level options

Yup, authorised pulling phones out & making them useful in lessons happens in DS school too. It's mostly google from what I understand. DS school does not have own screen equipment for hardly any pupils. DS has a school email address. I am not sure what for, tbh, but he has one.

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Tessisme · 02/10/2023 07:56

If your child is in chemistry or physics & needs a calculator, but didn't bring their math calculator because it's not math lesson day, what does your child use for a calculator?

How many parents are in a position to rush to their child's school with forgotten stuff anyway?

Why would the government get involved with something like this? It doesn't make them look good, it makes them look a bit ridiculous. DS1's school sends emails home about appropriate use of phones at school, which is basically before and after, but not during. Seems reasonable enough.

PurpleWisteria1 · 02/10/2023 07:59

DinnaeFashYersel · 02/10/2023 00:56

Scottish government is handing out Chromebooks to every child.

Utterly pointless banning phones.

Do you actually have any idea how a school chrome book is managed? Do you have a child who uses one and know what they can and can’t see?
Or are you just thinking of you bowling into PC world and buying a Chromebook?
School chrome books and phones are completely different things!

Whenwillglorioussummercome · 02/10/2023 08:02

lljkk · 02/10/2023 07:52

Our school moved away from punishing the kids for forgetting their PE kit. The PE teachers hated it. They found it was mostly kids who live between homes (parents live in different homes so child's stuff moves around different homes) which is why the PE kit got forgotten. So pupils don't get detention for that any more.

Queues to buy school food are very long, takes all lunch time to get something potentially, and school food is expensive, so I was thinking about packed lunches being forgotten. How would child make sure parent was bringing a lunch to avoid the unnecessary expense?

Which messaging App? Does the teacher send the message or have to find someone in office to send the message ? Who thinks communicating to the office what the message should say is a good use of teacher time? What if there is a Q at student reception, so that the child is late to class because they were waiting to ask reception to message parent about the forgot lunch that needs bringing in?

What if the child forgot when they agreed to play in netball game after school, that they have an orthodontist appt on same afternoon. Is the parent supposed to message back to the App to say child can't go, so the person in the office can then track down both the PE teacher and the student, to remind them that the orthodontist is today & therefore child can't attend the Netball match? Will the office person then return to the App to confirm with the parent that the child has received the message and everything is back to what parent needs?

For the forgotten stuff it’s immaterial whether my children can tell us or not as no one can leave work to ferry lunches or PE kits around so they just have to get on with the day. For last minute stuff, which is very rare in our experience, the kids go to the office who call us. They can also use their phones as soon as school is over so can message us then to let us know if they’ll be home late (they get the bus home) and usually get back before we finish work.

I assume schools take their own context into account when deciding on their phone policy too - eg the ease of getting home twenty minutes later than normal.

MargaretThursday · 02/10/2023 08:06

I disagree with banning them. My dc's school allows them and having had 3 dc go through the school there have been no issues with my dc, and very few other issues. But when there is an issue the school deals with it...
Unlike the other local school who bans them, who when there is an issue just says smugly "it's nothing to do with us because we don't allow phones in school so that pupil can't possibly have sent a bullying message saying they're going to kill your dc as they were in school at the time and so don't have phones..." Really? And a child who sends that sort of message cares about your rule?

VisaWoes · 02/10/2023 08:12

Ha ha, I saw the headlines and thought exactly this. Schools already ban them so what the heck is the point in this? Are the govt going to fine kids or give them an ASBO if they don't comply now? No, of course not. It's just hot air, headline shit because they can't actually think of or do anything meaningful.

needtofatoff · 02/10/2023 08:15

Theunamedcat · 01/10/2023 23:17

Ummm our school uses them to play educational games in class because they don't have ipads or anything like that they are also told to Google things on their phones in class they are a tool to be used or abused but surely it's up to the school not the government if they allow them to be used

I am shocked at this. What a huge distraction. Why are they googling things in class and not being taught by a teacher.

Whenwillglorioussummercome · 02/10/2023 08:16

MargaretThursday · 02/10/2023 08:06

I disagree with banning them. My dc's school allows them and having had 3 dc go through the school there have been no issues with my dc, and very few other issues. But when there is an issue the school deals with it...
Unlike the other local school who bans them, who when there is an issue just says smugly "it's nothing to do with us because we don't allow phones in school so that pupil can't possibly have sent a bullying message saying they're going to kill your dc as they were in school at the time and so don't have phones..." Really? And a child who sends that sort of message cares about your rule?

That’s a school failure not a policy failure. I would suggest any parent met with that response should insist on speaking to the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately, as that is a serious safeguarding failure.

VisaWoes · 02/10/2023 08:23

needtofatoff · 02/10/2023 08:15

I am shocked at this. What a huge distraction. Why are they googling things in class and not being taught by a teacher.

Show quote history

To be honest I do this with my university students. So the other day I taught them a 2 hr session on a topic. We then had an activity where they had to match a drug to a side effect (we had touched on it during the main lecture) but I did tell them they could google if they got stuck.

It's active learning and a recognised effective pedagogical method rather than didactic teaching which doesn't help students retain information as effectively.

Chipsahoy · 02/10/2023 09:02

My children are encouraged to use them in class because they have zero money to put into computers or tablets that the teachers want to use for learning.
Ive felt pressured to buy my middle child a better phone because his wasn’t capable of running the apps or sustaining battery life.
we are in Scotland.

Passepartoute · 02/10/2023 09:06

I gather this is just Department for Education guidance. As they do fuck all to enforce their uniform guidance or even the SEN Code of Practice, I'm not expecting any changes.

Yourebeingtooloud · 02/10/2023 09:17

Efficaciou5 · 01/10/2023 23:45

This waste of time government that you refer to ...

Would that happen to be the one which pays your salary and recently also gave you a pay rise ?

Show quote history

Well this puts opposition mps in a very tricky position given they are paid from public funds too…

parameciumparty · 02/10/2023 09:20

bombastix · 01/10/2023 23:51

"Giles, free schools meals for dogs. Yay or nay?"

Show quote history

😂😂😂

Yourebeingtooloud · 02/10/2023 09:21

lljkk · 02/10/2023 07:52

Our school moved away from punishing the kids for forgetting their PE kit. The PE teachers hated it. They found it was mostly kids who live between homes (parents live in different homes so child's stuff moves around different homes) which is why the PE kit got forgotten. So pupils don't get detention for that any more.

Queues to buy school food are very long, takes all lunch time to get something potentially, and school food is expensive, so I was thinking about packed lunches being forgotten. How would child make sure parent was bringing a lunch to avoid the unnecessary expense?

Which messaging App? Does the teacher send the message or have to find someone in office to send the message ? Who thinks communicating to the office what the message should say is a good use of teacher time? What if there is a Q at student reception, so that the child is late to class because they were waiting to ask reception to message parent about the forgot lunch that needs bringing in?

What if the child forgot when they agreed to play in netball game after school, that they have an orthodontist appt on same afternoon. Is the parent supposed to message back to the App to say child can't go, so the person in the office can then track down both the PE teacher and the student, to remind them that the orthodontist is today & therefore child can't attend the Netball match? Will the office person then return to the App to confirm with the parent that the child has received the message and everything is back to what parent needs?

Thank goodness my dc’s school doesn’t allow phones during the day because I would find it more stressful receiving all these messages that I could do nothing about because I’m busy teaching other people’s dc.

Forgot something - face the consequences / find a solution. Remember next time.

Need to communicate something about after school etc - can message as soon as school ends anyway so not an issue.

You seem to be accepting an awful lot of learned helplessness from your child. Mine know they need to be sorted with stuff like this cos…life skills.

Pleasenomoreglitter · 02/10/2023 09:28

My first thought on seeing this was, "can we actually have some buildings my children and their teachers are allowed before we start worrying about what technology they're using." Half our school out of bounds for raac with no sign of any temporary classrooms any time soon, despite the headteacher doing everything he can think of. This is far more disruptive to their education currently than any mobile being taken in with them - when they're actually in and not on home learning rota!

skyeisthelimit · 02/10/2023 09:29

DD's school have banned them for years. They are supposed to turn them off when they get to school and turn them on again when they leave.

That doesn't stop them watching/doing TikToks in class though. These are girls aged 14-15.

NotReadyForAutumnYet · 02/10/2023 09:48

Isn't this one of Molly Kingsley's bugbears?Thought schools pretty much did this anyway?
Glad government never criticise teachers or a myriad of other professions, given that teachers also pay government salaries...

NotReadyForAutumnYet · 02/10/2023 09:48

EaudeJavel · 01/10/2023 23:10

Schools should STOP encouraging kids to get said phones in the first place

Why is that a job for schools?!

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 02/10/2023 09:54

I don't understand why the government is getting involved in decisions that are far more appropriately devolved to headteachers, when there are so many issues of national and global importance that they should be focusing on.

Headteachers are more than capable of making appropriate decisions for their own schools. The vast majority banned phones in schools years ago in any case, but if they have chosen not to do so, I would assume that they have good reasons for making that decision, based on factors that are specific to their particular school.

I would like the government to get on with actually making decisions about things that matter, instead of fannying around with totally pointless policies about things where their input really isn't needed.

StillWantingADog · 02/10/2023 10:12

it’s just more hot air to try and appeal to their right wing base

they have admitted that it will be up to schools how to enforce (or not).

just like the “we will ban 20mph zones”- no they won’t they will change GUIDANCE for local authorities, who will continue to do as they see fit.

flailing around in desperation trying to generate headlines

Sahara123 · 02/10/2023 10:19

I for one would be delighted if it were to be made illegal. The school I work in occasionally comes up with a no phones in class ban which is not policed and inevitably is forgotten within days. Which I accept is a school problem, but I’d hope if it was actually illegal it would be enforced. Phones in school are an absolute nightmare, any benefits are hugely outweighed by the downsides. Plus I’m fed up with having to avoid pupils when I walk down a corridor who are so glued to their phones they don’t actually see me .
I have family in France where it is against the law and it works well.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 02/10/2023 10:21

I think it’s because it’s the conference and Gillian Keegan has to make a speech but has fuck all to say. Maths to 18 is Rishi’s shitshow and there’s nothing else she can say about apprenticeships.

A speech about the schools still closed due to RAAC? The fact that the country doesn’t have enough teachers to go round? The SEND crisis? No, let’s wheel out a tired old policy that both Gav and Zahawi also gave an airing to.

OP posts:
felisha54 · 02/10/2023 11:37

At my dc school they are not allowed phones out on school grounds at all. If found they're confiscated immediately for a week. Repeat offenders up to 3 months.