Mobile phone nightmares

[mebaasmum]

Hi
DS2 (11)year 6 really wants a mobile phone, he is now one of only 3 in the year who dont have one. His Dad wants him to wait till next year. he is now being bullied because he dosnt have one! Sonds easy , just get one, but kids in the year are also being bullied for not having the right phone!! So where does it stop. Year 6 are allowed to bring them to school provided they hand them in.
Advice on a postcard please!!

I'm thinking it would be better if the school had a no phone policy. They should be addressing the phone bullying situation. Could he have a phone to use after school instead of having to take it it with him.

For a start off I'd contact the school and let them know this is happening.
Don't think the school should let them bring one in unless there's a reason for having one in school.
Secondly if he's saying he's one of 3 in the year who doesn't have one, then I'd be skeptical really. I've heard that one (and used it) before and I wouldn't expect that proportion to have one in year 6, let alone be allowed to bring it into school.

I think schools should have no phones policies and that children shouldn't be allowed to bring them in (including leaving them in school office in the morning) unless there is some compelling reason..

The proportion of children without phones mentioned by the original poster is in line with my dd's class which is Y5. Two of the children in that class already have Blackberries. This is not an affluent group of children and as my dd never fails to point out to me, one of the children with a blackberry is actually on free school meals.

Hi
Thanks for the replies. On this occasion the 3 kids without mobiles is real. I am on to the school about the bullying. i quite agree there should be a no phones policy. In the past the school has banned other things that were causing strife, match attax, go go's etc. However with phones they claim parents are insisting their kids bring them to school as in year 6 most walk alone to school. (this is a school with a very small catchment, less than 1/2 mile)

I have often heard, but never understood the reasoning that primary age children "need" phone because they walk to school.

What could happen to them, half a mile from school, on a walk presumably busy with other children, that a phone would help with?

The only thing I can see is that carrying a fancy phone puts them more at risk.

If you got him the 'right' phone it would only get nicked at school. I assume we're talking iPhones/Blackberries here, which cost hundreds of pounds and become 'old models' within a year. A 12-year-old definitely does not need one! Don't get sucked into this - get him a cheap PAYG model if he needs it to contact you, but if he doesn't, leave things as they are and reassess next year.

He could always say he had one at home which he isn't allowed to bring in...