To think school need an actual policy on mobile phones

[justcuriousaboutmobiles]

Name changed for this but I'm a long time member, cube of pop, cutted up pear...

Yesterday our school sent a message out saying they have seen an increase in year 6 brining mobile phones into school, they have been handing them in to their teacher who's been locking them in a drawer until home time. The school have said they would like to remind us that mobiles are not permitted in school and from now on not to bring them in.
Now firstly I've never seen anything to say mobiles aren't permitted I'd personally assumed they weren't but DS doesn't walk to school as we are to far away so not thought of sending one in.
Parents are now unhappy as it sounds like the majority of them take phones for emergency use on the way to or from school.
I know we all lived without them when we were kids but it's a different time, I think if DS was walking I'd feel more comfortable if he could contact me.
So my AIBU is that if this is school policy it should be documented somewhere but also I'm thinking it's maybe not the best policy, I know teachers can't be held responsible for looking after what could be 30 phones but what's the alternative. I've got splinters in my bum over this one...

Before anyone says it yes I should keep my beak out as it doesn't effect me but it's interested me

The school does have "an actual policy on mobile phones". So, yes, YABU to complain that they don't have one. The policy is very clear, you said it yourself: "mobiles are not permitted in school". You can speak to the school and explain the situation and request that the phone be left in DS's bag all day, switched off so he can use it en route.
I'm genuinely curious what you think DS would need a mobile for even if he were walking? In an emergency, plenty of adults are likely to be around with mobile phones - he'd just need a slip of paper with your number.

Oh sorry I wasn't clear, I mean that until recently children have been taking them in, now they are told not permitted, I never thought they were.
I don't think I'd give DS one if he was walking I was just saying parents are suggesting that's why the kids need one, DS doesn't walk so I'd not thought about it.
I see why others are worried though but agree with schools stance

Have you looked on their website for a policy?

@justcuriousaboutmobiles

Oh sorry I wasn't clear, I mean that until recently children have been taking them in, now they are told not permitted, I never thought they were. I don't think I'd give DS one if he was walking I was just saying parents are suggesting that's why the kids need one, DS doesn't walk so I'd not thought about it. I see why others are worried though but agree with schools stance

I think that it sounds like they've always had that policy (just like you thought) but that people haven't been adhering to the policy. I wasn't having a go, I'm genuinely curious why a 10 year old NEEDS a mobile phone to walk to/from school. I can't really think of a situation where it would be needed - if something really bad happened then I'd expect them to find an adult immediately, not phone and wait for a parent. If it's not that bad then it can wait until they get home. Given the risks and dangers of mobile phones (being stolen, getting broken, going missing, bullying, etc etc), I just don't understand the risk.

@ineedaholidaynow

Have you looked on their website for a policy?

Yeah can't see one. That's what I meant about actual policy. It could be within another policy. Seems like there's a mixed approach in the area hence my pondering.

@CursedEngagement I agree there's so many issues with actually having a mobile in school etc.

They've just told you what their policy is. They've recognised that it needed communicating better, so that's what they've done.

My DSs' secondary had a no phones policy, then when snow was forecast they'd message parents asking them to make sure children had their phones so they could contact home school had to close

Mobile phones are the bane of modern teaching. They are a constant distraction for the kids, they get lost, they get stolen, they get broken.

Does it really matter if there was a policy? Perhaps phones have only become an issue for the school recently? Maybe up until now not many students took them in, or perhaps those that did were sensible with them. If the school have reached the decision that handing phones in for the day is the best way to deal with the issues they cause then the best course of action for parents would be to support that.

So the school does have an actual policy; you just disagree with it?

Have parents asked if providing their DC with a cheap phone (£1 brick type things) so it doesn't really matter if lost that they keep at the bottom of their bag and never take out unless there is an emergency would be an acceptable compromise if they are concerned about safety? I imagine the main issue is that schools don't want to take responsibility for phones and this circumvents that.

There are lots of secondary schools that don't allow phones; they have similar type policies.

I think I should have been clearer I'm not quite awake yet.
This is the first time we've ever been told mobiles are banned. Until now the parents thought as the teacher was locking them away that it was ok.
So now parents aren't happy as they are being 'reminded' of something they've never actually been told.
My point is school should have said something along the lines of mobiles are now causing issues in school our policy now is no mobiles at all.
I don't disagree with the policy at all. I wouldn't let DS take one as he can barely remember where he's put it at home never mind out of the home.
But it's caused a bit of a row with parents so was interested in others views.

Jut reread your OP. So, they had a policy - no phones. Despite this kids were taking them into school and so they had to be handed in. Perhaps at the start this was just a handful of students, so no issue. However, if it is now 32 students in the class it becomes a problem. The amount of teaching time every day taking them in and then making sure they are handed back to the correct child.

The problem is the expensive phones that that children bring in. You can have thousands of pounds worth of phones in your top drawer. What happens if one gets stolen? Or one gets broken as they're being put in the drawer? Who is responsible? Children in Y6 in our school are allowed to bring in a cheap brick type phone if they need it for walking to/from school. I think that's fair as they are still able to contact parents if needed.

The amount of children bringing a phone has drastically reduced as most of them just wanted to show off their phone to their friends rather than actually needing one!

@NewMatress

They've just told you what their policy is. They've recognised that it needed communicating better, so that's what they've done.

My DSs' secondary had a no phones policy, then when snow was forecast they'd message parents asking them to make sure children had their phones so they could contact home school had to close

This is like saying "DS's school has a school uniform that they're really strict on and then, one day, they just said they didn't have to wear any of their uniform". Like, yes. They had a policy and changed it for a day when circumstances were different and they communicated to you that they were changing it for that one day when circumstances were different - what's confusing?

I wasn't having a go, I'm genuinely curious why a 10 year old NEEDS a mobile phone to walk to/from school.

What's the harm , my year 6 walked 1.5 miles to school, having a phone meant that he could let me know when he got there, if he wanted to go to a friends after school/ play football in the park he'd ring to check we didn't have other plans. When he fell and hurt himself badly he rang me so I was there quickly, when I was caught in traffic after school I could contact him and tell him to go to his grans. Is it really unimaginable that a child that makes there own way to school needs a phone?

It may not be a separate policy, but under the behaviour policy or similar.

I've worked in some schools where mobile phones can be taken in by years 5 and 6 only (for walking to/from) but when the child arrives the phone goes in a biscuit tin at the office. All phones are kept in here and collected by the children at the end of the day. Could parents suggest this to the school?

@Ducksurprise

I wasn't having a go, I'm genuinely curious why a 10 year old NEEDS a mobile phone to walk to/from school.

What's the harm , my year 6 walked 1.5 miles to school, having a phone meant that he could let me know when he got there, if he wanted to go to a friends after school/ play football in the park he'd ring to check we didn't have other plans. When he fell and hurt himself badly he rang me so I was there quickly, when I was caught in traffic after school I could contact him and tell him to go to his grans. Is it really unimaginable that a child that makes there own way to school needs a phone?

The harm is exactly what I listed.

I think that it sounds like they've always had that policy (just like you thought) but that people haven't been adhering to the policy.
I wasn't having a go, I'm genuinely curious why a 10 year old NEEDS a mobile phone to walk to/from school. I can't really think of a situation where it would be needed - if something really bad happened then I'd expect them to find an adult immediately, not phone and wait for a parent. If it's not that bad then it can wait until they get home. Given the risks and dangers of mobile phones (being stolen, getting broken, going missing, bullying, etc etc), I just don't understand the risk.*
*
You seriously can't understand why a child wouldn't need a phone when walking by themselves? What if a strange person approaches them and there is no adult there? It's a safety precaution.

Maybe kids didn't need phones when there were phone boxes on every corner and a Bobby on every corner (I'm not sure that last thing ever really existed). These days we are set up for people having mobile phones and every meeting and eventuality is planned with that in mind. So while I get that phones should not be in class expecting the most vulnerable of us to manage without because it's too much faff for the adults around them (who wouldn't dream of not taking their phones out with them) is a bit unfair.

being stolen, getting broken, going missing, bullying, etc

Cheap phones are £20, they don't need the latest smartphone, although since starting secondary everyone has smart phones and the majority of children take great care of their phones. I can't see any of the things listed as harm.

It looks like no mobile phones now means no mobile phones on premises, as where it may have meant, bring the phone, give it to the teacher and collect at the end of the day. They've obviously changed their stance.
But cheeky but maybe the hygiene issues, kids not handing them in etc.

I prefer my DS to have a phone for journeys to and from school, mainly to tell him to pick something up on the way home. It has been required a few times. Just yesterday the mother of a friend of DS's didn't turn up to collect her son. My DS phoned me and I phoned the mum, who was running late. Yes she would have turned up but it saved 10 minutes of anxiety for a child. Welcome to older child issues!

Sounds like poor communication by the school.

And every school has a different policy.

Eg ours you need to complete a permission form for child walk home by themselves and a separate form if bringing phone. The phone is then locked in the office for the whole day.

And the permission form for phones makes clear that school has no liability for the phone or anything happening to it

They should be allowed to take them in in year 6 but the teacher keeping them in a drawer until the end of the school day is a decent policy. My DS is in year 6 and a lot of his friends take them because they walk home alone, some have a 20ish min walk so not all around the corner from school.

Is it really unimaginable that a child that makes there own way to school needs a phone?

At the risk of sounding really aged, children managed for, literally, centuries to get themselves to and from school without mobile phones, and indeed without any phones at all.

@Zzelda

Is it really unimaginable that a child that makes there own way to school needs a phone?

At the risk of sounding really aged, children managed for, literally, centuries to get themselves to and from school without mobile phones, and indeed without any phones at all.

I used to think this, but the world has changed. No one batted an eye lid if I sat on my front step for one hour when my mum was late home, nor did she worry if I got distracted on the way home as long as I was home for tea. It was normal to not know where your children were and no after school activities to be home for.