Can schools ban parents using phones on site?

[shadowfiesta]

Primary school have updated their mobile use policy and all staff / parents / visitors cannot use mobile phones on site. I get some of it - can't take photos of kids, staff shouldn't get distracted when teaching etc but we're not even allowed to take a call or check emails in that dreadful wait for the doors to open at the end of the day.....god, we're all going to have to talk to each other aren't we??!!

(Mine are still in ks1 so have to go on site to collect. Ks2 parents can wait on the road so they can probably do what they like!)

My daughters last infant school put this policy into place last year and made people sign an agreement not to do it. I was happy to do so. It's like 15 minutes it affects. I now take a book. There are some really vulnerable children out there. Often it's to protect them.

Me too but it bothers me. For me it wouldnt be about the phone but about the principle of me being nearly 40 and being treated like one of the students.

I don't get it. Why are people so attached to their phones?!

It's more the - checking time, giving my number out for play dates and making new contacts (I've one in reception) and checking calendar for availability for stuff

If that is all the problem, buy a cheap watch, memorise your phone number and carry pencil and paper. You can confirm details once you have seen your calendar.

As for waiting tweny minutes, I always bring a book.

I don't know if it is a necessary policy or not, but it is not the end of the world.

It'd be interesting to hear what the school would say, when they asked you for a mobile contact number and you said, 'Sorry don't have one,'...

The problem with lots of schools is they treat parents the same as the pupils. I got asked (well told) to "please put that sweet in the bin" at one parents night as there was a no chewing gum.policy (secondary scbool). It was actually a tyrozet as my throat was in agony but i was mortified (though DD found it hysterical).

EPresumably nursery staff don't have much time when they are not actually with the children though? Whereas secondary teachers do.

I can't imagine there's a huge incidence of secondary school teachers in the school the OP mentioned in the first word of the post

Why are people so attached to their phones?!

because people and schools don't write anymore, everything is done by email or messages via various school apps. I get all school communication via my phone, I can't think of the last time I got a printed paper.

I get emails and text from work, I speak with my friends and family on whatsap. My phone is a wonderful tool, it's my alarm clock, my torch, and sometimes.. I even use it to make a phone call!

Bloody ridiculous nonsense.

But coddi put it much better. At 50 and meeting grandchildren from school I think I can judge for myself and don't need a wet behind the ears jobs worth policing my phone use.

Students are expected not to use their phone all day and yet parents cant even manage 5 minutes. I think thats a poor message

I work for myself. I do so to ensure I can be there for picks ups/drop offs/school holidays/plays/sports day.

I'm use my phone pretty much every minute of the school day, put it away as she comes out and devote my evenings to her.

I don't think that's a bad message

We do not allow staff to use their phones in classroom and playgrounds, where/when there are children around. We can use our phones in the staff workroom and staffroom, where pupils do not go near. We can also use our phones in the rest of the school before and after school, before/after children arrive. Rest of the time our phones have to be fastened away, in a locker or locked in a cupboard well out of reach of children, and away from general access.

This is for the protection of both children and staff. It is a major safeguarding issue is we are found using a phone in class or not he playground when children are there.

We do have phones when on school visits etc but these are times when we are not in 1:1 closed situations with pupils, and they should only be used for specific reasons. It is easier to use personal phones than school provided phones, but the policies are written and staff are expected to follow them accordingly as to usage.

We ask all visitors to school to do the same.

I think this is acceptable. But then I previously worked in a prison where my phone had to be handed in at reception at the start of the day and collected only on leaving the building at the end of my shift.

I assume this is about parents being asked not to use them in the playground when dropping off and greeting their children from school, rather than before they come out. Ive seen a few things recently on some teaching sites about asking parents to acknowledge their children when they come out at the end of the day, rather than walking up on a phone, remaining mid conversation, not talking to the child at all and them walking off together. Sadly that is something that does happen for some children, and not as a one off either.

I do think the school sends like it has been a bit OTT or heavy handed with their approach, or at least the wording to parents. However, if it is in the playground, then ultimately I don't thing staff are going to care. I cant see them taking any action though if it is private land I guess they could ask for them to be only used off site and to wait outside the gates until finished using them, if they really wanted to. If inside the building I fully understand why they won't want parents with phones out.

The school gate is the perfect time to check your texts, emails - some from THE SCHOOL!

No-one's stopping parents using their phones at the gate

As long as the school don't complain when they cannot contact parents in an emergency...
Sounds like the sort of rule I'd be ignoring, and daring them to enforce it if they said anything to me

It'd be interesting to hear what the school would say, when they asked you for a mobile contact number and you said, 'Sorry don't have one,'...

I give out my landline only to people unless it's absolutely necessary to have a mobile. Don't bother me with calls when I'm out and about. Leave a message on my home phone and I will call you back at my convenience.

And yes you can say to the school you don't have a mobile. As long as you leave alternative contacts.

It'd be interesting to hear what the school would say, when they asked you for a mobile contact number and you said, 'Sorry don't have one,'...

"Okay, how do you prefer we contact you?"

No-one's stopping parents using their phones at the gate

In my local primary school, reception and year 1 are completely at the back, and parents pick them up at the little gate, within the school complex if that make sense. That's where we wait, and check our phones. I really cannot see the issue.

How lovely for the children to be greeted by faces, smiles and hopefully conversation instead of distracted parents on their phones. I wish all schools would do this.

At my school, teachers can use phones in breaks and PPA, visitors (workmen etc.) have to sign theirs in at the office if there during the school day for Safeguarding reasons.

Okay, how do you prefer we contact you?" 

Right. That's great. Does this happen a lot in practice?

Perhaps it is about reversing the addiction to mobile phones, and trying - at primary school- to set the example that you can put your phone in your pocket and ignore it for half an hour, much as you would of you were driving, or asleep. Phone dependency is a bit frightening, and our generation of parents are enabling our own kids dependency. I'm not being holier than thou - both my kids have iPhones that I fund and I am worried about their reliance upon them. Anything that starts to teach younger kids that life isn't found on a screen is good I think. The school can't really enforce it I wouldn't have thought, but more and more senior schools are asking kids to put their phones away. We need to start supporting this as well, I think. We can all make excuses as to why we are the exception. I'd like to reverse time and make mobile phones just phones again, not life support

I think some schoold forget that they are temporarily in charge of our children and not us!

I can go without looking at my phone, but as a grown arse adult, if I decide I want to look at it, then I will. When did we all become such sheep, blindly accepting being dictated to, even when the 'rule' makes no sense?

I have trusted my dc's teachers to take them swimming, on trips (inc overnight) and to generally look after them. It's really insulting for thrm to be told they cannot be trusted with a phone.

I just remember the head at our old Primary doing her nut because she couldn't get some parents immediately on their mobiles, when the school was evacuated. There was a very stern note in the newsletter. I spoke to one of those parents. She was at work. Head never even left a message. She got no further calls. Luckily she was in contact with another parent.

loveday a lot of teaching now takes place using screens. They can't really have their cake and eat it.

Perhaps it is about reversing the addiction to mobile phones, and trying - at primary school- to set the example that you can put your phone in your pocket and ignore it for half an hour, much as you would of you were driving, or asleep.

It's not all about an 'addiction'. It is a societal reliance on people being contactable 24/7.

If I need to use my phone when standing on the playground I will. I can understand actually inside the school building for safe guarding reasons, but not on the playground while waiting for my children.

Aderyn who is having the cake though? (Cake - yum) as in what's the reason behind the phone ban. That's all I'm saying. Is it to set an example to the kids, is it so they come out to meet their parents and have their attention, or safeguarding as the school say? All of which are beneficial to the kids, so why would some parents not support this. Teaching on screens is a great thing. Trawling Instagram and writing 'streaks' like my kids do isn't so good. We parents might all be doing important things on our phones but my kids aren't, I reckon 90% of what they do on their phones is total crap, but they are copying me and learning from my (bad) phone habits.