Secondary school mobile phone theft and prevention - ideas?

[mayfridayjune]

Hello all, I bought a relatively inexpensive android device for my DD going into year 7 very soon. I've put Family lock on it, all locked down - it's just a smartphone for the bus app, maps app and so on - things you can't get on a brick phone.

However I'm now wondering if I'd have been better just buying the cheapest brick phone - how safe are your secondary kids with their mobiles - have any had them stolen / lost etc?

it's not of a huge value but it would be a pain in the arse for it to get lost or stolen and I have no idea how responsible DD will be as yet.

If anyone has any thoughts, tips for preventing loss or general feedback on these ideas I would welcome them so we can prep ahead.

She will have a locker but just not sure if she will use it or keep the phone on her person etc yet

Any ideas?

I have had 4 kids through secondary (youngest now year 10) and phone theft has never been an issue. Maybe if they have latest iPhone it would be, but not for Samsung androids that my kids have.

One of mine is autistic and was very scatty in early secondary, we bought a phone tether cable that went round his phone and onto a belt loop. He had his keys on one too! This kind of thing.

thank you @MortimerBeQuiet - that looks helpful - does he keep it in his pocket attached to the loop thing all day? i will defo look into this.

Encouraging to think that his phone wouldn't be a target for theft necessarily. I hope that's true!

I have no idea what to expect.

This is such a good idea. It's not always a case of someone rifling through someone's things, more often than not they throw their blazer on the floor and the phone falls out. Or they leave their bag on the football pitch and the phone falls out.

From my experience I'd say him loosing it is much more likely than it being stolen. You have the tracking app on it - which actually means you can track it if someone takes it anyway - or more likely hands it in to reception!

One of mine has just left year 13, another finished year 11 and one going to year 9. None have had phone related incidents at school.

My daughter has the cheap brick phone. No need to put temptation in anyone's way or feel bad if it's lost. No thefts afaik at her school.

We've mainly spoken to DC about not having their phone out when walking to/from school or on public transport so no-one can opportunistically grab it, and so they can be more aware of their surroundings while travelling. Who knows if they'll actually follow the advice though!

I've had four children go through secondary school over the last few years. Phone theft really wasn't a thing.

But broken phone insurance has been money well spent. They've been sat on, dropped, launched from a trampoline and "poked too hard".

Dd going into year 8 has had an iPhone 11pro since the start of year 6. No issues. Yr6 was a test for responsibility, but it was kept in the office all day. No issues in year 7. School don’t allow phones turned on while on school grounds so it’s switched off and left in her bag or blazer all day. They also don’t allow phones to be seen. She’s allowed to use with permission during afterschool club to check what time she’s being picked up if she’s not catching the public bus home.

Rules are if she’s looses it that’s her problem we will not be replacing it. She keeps it in a zip pocket all the time as if it falls out and seen by a teacher it’s confiscated.

He had it tethered to his bag strap actually. His keys were in his pocket on a similar strap.