To not understand why parents buy their children expensive phones which are not permitted in school

[frogspoon]

I have just started working in an independent partially boarding school.

A school policy is that year 7 and 8 are not allowed smartphones, or any phone with the internet or a camera. Parents and pupils are informed of this when they join the school. Despite this, I am repeatedly having to confiscate these smartphones from students when they are out on show.

I do not understand why parents do not just buy them a cheap £10 phone for use in school. The students are permitted to have phones in school, just not smartphones.

I would have thought most parents would see this as a fantastic opportunity to save a few hundred pounds. But the number of children with non permitted phones suggests otherwise.

Do the parents at my school simply have more money than sense?

DDs school as a no phone policy - although if they have to take them (for subsequent after school clubs, going home with other people etc) they can hand them in on to their form tutor on arrival. DD has my old Blackberry and I wouldn't buy her a cheap one - she'd just have to forego using her phone when not allowed.