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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Kids and phones?

15 replies

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 02/09/2015 07:16

More of a wwyd?

Ds is off to senior school today. Much excitement. Several villages away, school bus...

Do I let him take his phone?

Yes, I think he should have it, in case there is a problem. Late/cancelled bus, muppet ds gets on wrong bus etc.

No, I don't want him to sit there all day playing games on it!

OP posts:

LittleRedSparkle · 02/09/2015 07:17

Yes
But tell him the rules clearly
No games in school
And battery has to be at 50% when he gets home

Lilaclily · 02/09/2015 07:18

Yes he should take it they won't let him have IT in class

SWFARMER · 02/09/2015 07:18

His school won't allow him to Sir and play games. They'll confiscate it if it's out in lessons. He will have to keep it in his bag until break or lunch times

googoodolly · 02/09/2015 07:24

Yeah, he should take it, but make sure it's switched off and left in his bag during school hours.

Bunbaker · 02/09/2015 07:27

"No, I don't want him to sit there all day playing games on it!"

He won't be allowed to. It will be confiscated if he does that.

DD had a phone when she started secondary school as she travels by bus, and the buses are very unreliable.

Original poster

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 02/09/2015 07:33

I think I agree with all these comments.

Will go and tell him to find it!

Thanks.

OP posts:

Topseyt · 02/09/2015 07:42

YES.
School will advise him of their rules and it is then up to him to ensure that he either adheres to them or pays the consequences.

No point in having a phone it is not with you.

marriednotdead · 02/09/2015 07:58

Most schools have specific rules about mobiles, it may even be on the school website. Our local girls school has an 'out of sight or it will be confiscated' stance.

DS's secondary had a blanket ban. The head maintained that children only became vulnerable to mugging etc cos this is Sarf Lundun when they started carrying hundreds of pounds worth of electronic kit with them. Any phones found were confiscated until the end of term and the parent was required to collect it and explain why it was there in the first place!

Maisieknew · 02/09/2015 08:06

I'm amused and intrigued by the people who know the rules of every secondary school up and down the country! Our local one allows phones (obviously not in class as such) but I presume the OP knew he wouldn't be sitting playing Angry Birds in Maths or whatever!

Bunbaker · 02/09/2015 08:14

Maisie OK, of the secondary schools I know about, mobile phones are not allowed to be used in school. Obviously the students do bend the rules because there are often pictures on Facebook from students at DD's school that have obviously been taking during the school day.

If the student is caught using a mobile when they shouldn't at DD's school and other schools locally then the phone is confiscated. And judging from previous discussions on the use of mobiles in schools it seems to be the general consensus that this happens.

Maisieknew · 02/09/2015 08:17

Yes, but that is one school just as our local one is one school.

Schools have different rules ranging from a complete blanket ban to far more easygoing to being up to individual teachers to decide.

Original poster

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 02/09/2015 08:37

If he thought he could get away with it, he would spend all of maths playing angry birds. Probably bad-mouthing the poor teacher, saying it is relevant to maths as it uses angles and power...

Hopefully, he has the sense to leave it in his bag, with his emergency bus money and forget about it.

Can't find anything on the website, but have seen last years students with phones. So hopefully, it's a case of "shoved in the bottom of your bag is ok."

He hasn't rung or texted to say the bus is late/ no show.

Looks like a good start for his first day!

OP posts:

Seriouslyffs · 02/09/2015 09:03

At DS's school they encourage them to take pictures for notes and homework!
Also South London- as phones have become erasable/ useless if stolen I've not heard of en route to school mugging a for a while now.

ValancyJane · 02/09/2015 09:27

I would let him take it for safety reasons (and I'm a secondary school teacher). There will probably be a policy somewhere on the website, as others have said it will probably be 'should be turned off in bag during lessons, if seen will be confiscated' though some are stricter about break time and lunchtime usage!

I always confiscate if they are being used in class (you get a bit of a sixth sense about it - giveaway is usually a child staring down towards their lap for an extended period of time!) I get particularly annoyed when they don't even try to hide it. I went absolutely mental at year 10/11 students on three separate occasions this year where they felt it was appropriate to charge their phones in my room (I teach science so lots of plugs!) and genuinely could not understand why I found this so unacceptable!! Grrr. Most kids are sensible though!

Witchend · 02/09/2015 10:12

Yes, but don't ban him from games during the lunch hour. When dd1 arrived at secondary as a very shy and nervous child with no friends there, the lunchtime games on the phones were great bonding sessions. They gave her something safe to talk about.

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