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Original poster

Ban on mobile phones in schools

249 replies

bytheby · 29/06/2021 07:55

Gavin Williams has proposed this and announced a 6 week consultation. Does anyone know how we can feed into the consultation?

I am in favour. In fact I don't think children/teens need phones at all. If people are worried about safety walking home then there should be a simple phone with a map function and ability to call available.

I am a sensible adult and I find it difficult to control my own mobile phone use so how can we expect children to.

Children accessing porn. Children unable to 'switch off'/addicted to screens. Children being contacted by older strangers. Children having unrealistic images of how they 'should' look pushed onto them by social media. Children unable to escape school bullying (or just a break from their peers) at home. Children losing the ability to converse. Children more anxious than ever. etc etc.

If your childhood was pre mobile phones do you think it honestly would have been improved by having one?!

Anyway, if anyone knows how to become a part of the consultation please let me know! I have googled to no avail.

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 29/06/2021 08:01

I think this should be up to individual schools.

Phones can be a useful tool, such as taking a photo of homework or looking up info, but I agree they can cause issues too.

Parents will also want their DC to have access to phones for travel.

dootball · 29/06/2021 08:03

Long over due.

Original poster
bytheby · 29/06/2021 08:08

Happy to hear the pros of mobile phones but honestly I can't see how they can possibly outweigh the cons...

I am all for a much more simple device. Ability to call, maps, I'll allow textbooks and an encyclopaedia.

Taking photos of homework?! - it never harmed me to write out my homework! Camera definitely not allowed as a part of my new invention.

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 29/06/2021 08:08

Just phones or tablets and computers as well?

A smartphone is basically a pocket computer. They have their advantages and disadvantages.

Building up better control of SM and porn etc for all devices would be better.

Sirzy · 29/06/2021 08:09

Most schools have their rules anyway.

A ban on use in the school grounds makes sense but I see no issues with turned off in school bag to be used if needed for the journey too or from school or if a teacher gives permission for some reason.

RedHelenB · 29/06/2021 08:10

Don't see how a blanket ban will work. End of the day, we as a society use mobile phones. Most schools have a out in the bottom of your bag and switched off policy which seems sensible to me.

Clymene · 29/06/2021 08:12

One of my children uses his to record verbal instructions and take photos of the board. Without that ability, he cannot access the curriculum.

As usual, no one thinks of kids with SEN.

80Days · 29/06/2021 08:13

Parents will also want their DC to have access to phones for travel.

^^ definitely this. DC1 will be starting secondary school next year, and he’ll have to be using a school bus due to the distance involved.

We’ll be wanting him to have a phone so he can call us if he misses the bus home. Although TBF he wouldn’t need a fancy smartphone for that.

Original poster
bytheby · 29/06/2021 08:13

@aroundtheworldin80moves

If I am being honest all of it to go please! A family desktop computer in a public room acceptable.

I think it is the constant nature of internet access that is the problem. Even if children are looking at harmless things (let's say a website on unicorns) they don't benefit from hours of this. They need to play, talk to their friends, read, just be bored and use their imaginations!

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 29/06/2021 08:13

@Clymene

One of my children uses his to record verbal instructions and take photos of the board. Without that ability, he cannot access the curriculum.

As usual, no one thinks of kids with SEN.

My two are autisric and using their mobile phone/ipad for organisational etc issues has been a game changer for them both.
TeenMinusTests · 29/06/2021 08:14

it never harmed me to write out my homework
Things move on.

For children like my DD who are slow at writing so might still be finishing the class lesson, and may not be able to write small enough in their planner it is a great tool.

Let a school have the autonomy to decide the rules. This doesn't need to be controlled by government. Government should be more concerned with catch up education, funding for SEN etc, not dipping into individual school rules.

TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 29/06/2021 08:14

Definitely needs to happen. They hand in phones in morning and collect them in afternoon.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 29/06/2021 08:14

When I was at secondary, admittedly late90s-early00s, all mobiles had to be handed in at reception on arrival (with a sticker on with your name on) and collected at home time.

I dont see why kids should have to use their phones to take a photo of their homework - surely taking appropriate notation in a planner is a skill that should be maintained?

Using them as a calculator or research tool - again, why? Buy and carry a calculator (which can only be used for it's intended use) and are text books not a thing any more?

Having phones for all of these above purposes may be worth it if the trade off wasnt so bad. Ability to take photos of others against their will, ability to secretly record conversations, ability to look up completely inappropriate content in class, potential bullying of the kids who dont have or dont have the right phones, financial risk of loss and breakage, noises going off in class, added pupil management for staff now having to monitor phone use.

Not fucking worth it. All because Timmy's mum wants to know he got on the bus safe? Timmy's mum needs to ask herself what she did as a kid.

SoupDragon · 29/06/2021 08:15

Taking photos of homework?! - it never harmed me to write out my homework!

It probably never harmed the victorians to be writing on a slate either. Times change.

Phones should be locked away at school (unless required for SEN reasons - DD is allowed to record voice memos/instructions and take photos of the board) but a total ban is ridiculous.

Comefromaway · 29/06/2021 08:15

[quote bytheby]@aroundtheworldin80moves

If I am being honest all of it to go please! A family desktop computer in a public room acceptable.

I think it is the constant nature of internet access that is the problem. Even if children are looking at harmless things (let's say a website on unicorns) they don't benefit from hours of this. They need to play, talk to their friends, read, just be bored and use their imaginations![/quote]
My son spent hours and hours on his ipad and computer. Turns out he was looking at music stuff, researching, listening to analysius podcasts and learning how to use music programming software. Turned out at college he was so far ahead on this side of things (the music software) he helps the teacher and he's now applying for degrees in this area.

TeenMinusTests · 29/06/2021 08:15

So OP, why are you on MN? Your DM didn't have it, and it didn't do her any harm...

Sirzy · 29/06/2021 08:15

[quote bytheby]@aroundtheworldin80moves

If I am being honest all of it to go please! A family desktop computer in a public room acceptable.

I think it is the constant nature of internet access that is the problem. Even if children are looking at harmless things (let's say a website on unicorns) they don't benefit from hours of this. They need to play, talk to their friends, read, just be bored and use their imaginations![/quote]
Frankly that’s rubbish!

There is still a place for all you say alongside use of technology anyway.

Ds is a research fanatic. He is autistic and for his topics of interest he simply can’t get enough information. It would be close of impossible to provide him with enough physical books to give him the information he gets from looking things up online.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 29/06/2021 08:17

[quote bytheby]@aroundtheworldin80moves

If I am being honest all of it to go please! A family desktop computer in a public room acceptable.

I think it is the constant nature of internet access that is the problem. Even if children are looking at harmless things (let's say a website on unicorns) they don't benefit from hours of this. They need to play, talk to their friends, read, just be bored and use their imaginations![/quote]
Have you missed the past year of online lessons? Shared desktop wouldn't have cut it...

Technology isn't evil.

SuperCaliFragalistic · 29/06/2021 08:17

It's unrealistic. It will end up like prisons where phones are readily available under the radar. Better controls over what children can access and better education about the pros and cons of using devices sounds more likely to be a long term solution. We aren't going back to the 1950s no matter how rose tinted your glasses are.

dreamingbohemian · 29/06/2021 08:17

So because you can't control your mobile phone use, those of us who can should go without?

My son has a phone, he uses it sparingly but it does come in handy sometimes and I'd like him to have it for his long-ish walk to school.

Instead of banning phones I'd rather see tighter controls on porn sites and social media, and harsher penalties for adults who groom and abuse children.

DoTheNextRightThing · 29/06/2021 08:17

My parents would have been livid at this. I was given a phone at a young age so I could always tell them where I was or call 999. Granted, it wasn't smart phones back then and I didn't have a smart phone until my final year of secondary. But they felt it was necessary for my safety that I had a phone on me at all times.

Comefromaway · 29/06/2021 08:17

@TeenMinusTests

it never harmed me to write out my homework Things move on.

For children like my DD who are slow at writing so might still be finishing the class lesson, and may not be able to write small enough in their planner it is a great tool.

Let a school have the autonomy to decide the rules. This doesn't need to be controlled by government. Government should be more concerned with catch up education, funding for SEN etc, not dipping into individual school rules.

IN the past these children would have been written off as thick. My dd is fiercley intelligent (A* A in her A levels and an IQ of 121 as tested by an Ed Psych) but she has huge difficulties writing. For ds the effort it takes to write means he can't concentrate on what he is doing.
TeenTitan007 · 29/06/2021 08:17

I am all for it OP, but I think schools have started permitting it's use even in classrooms - photo of the whiteboard, look up a word, look up an online picture to reference etc. I am jot for it at all and these seem like lazy shortcuts taken by the school. Unfortunately it's now become a dependency so will be hard to remove but should be done regardless. As you say it's hours wasted looking at 'stuff' which is pointless. Hours of their lives which could've been used in much better ways.

ineedaholidaynow · 29/06/2021 08:18

DS’s school have asked all pupils to have a laptop to bring into school everyday from next term (this is private school). They seem to be going the other way where technology is concerned.

They have a strict mobile phone policy, with switched off in your bag once in school site, although DS has been asked to take photos of homework etc, but that is with permission of the teacher.

SoupDragon · 29/06/2021 08:18

Using them as a calculator or research tool - again, why? Buy and carry a calculator (which can only be used for it's intended use) and are text books not a thing any more?

A calculator??! Use a log book and slide rule like my parents did! They never had calculators and it was fine for them. Or an abacus.