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Secondary education

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Original poster

Year 7 and mobile phone

35 replies

Rhapus123 · 07/07/2021 15:48

Out of interest, is anyone planning to not send their 11 year old with a mobile phone for year 7 in September. I've been interested in the pros and cons but now have to actually make a decision.
My daughter sort of wants one to not be left out but she knows she could end up spending too much time on one/be distracted. The school are lax in that, I quote "if you can get away with texting without being caught then it's ok". Our next nearest school has a strict no mobile in school hours policy which I think is wise.
My daughter currently is allowed to use my phone to WhatsApp two friends. Her bus ride is under 10 mins and I am at home with her younger siblings.

OP posts:
Eatenpig · 08/07/2021 23:23

I don't know any Yr5 or 6 without a decent phone. It's the world they live in

pocketcalculatoroperator · 09/07/2021 07:00

Most of our kids' friends didn't get a phone until Year 6, but all had one by Year 7. FWIW i think I'm comparatively strict on tech access, but I don't have an issue with WA. I know it can get nasty, but so can any messaging service (or of course kids just talking to each other!), and ar least it's transparent (ie you can monitor messages and sometimes use them as a starting point for conversations). I'm far more concerned by TikTok, Insta, Snapchat etc, which have some really vile stuff readily accessible (so far my kids haven't asked for access to these, fortunately).

BigBitchyBertha · 10/07/2021 00:17

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Original poster
Rhapus123 · 16/07/2021 22:56

I have just surprised my daughter with a phone. I've added strict parental controls but need to talk to friends as to what else to do to keep up as she becomes more tech savvy.
Her friend warned that sadly someone on their year 7 whatsApp group sent an inappropriate video so she is not allowed on group chats although her sister is because the year 8 group is "a better bunch"
Hmm. It is a minefield...

OP posts:
MsAwesomeDragon · 16/07/2021 23:06

My school and dd2's new school have both just announced a no phones in school rule from September. Currently my school allows them at break/lunch but not in lessons, and I think dd's school is the same. But from September any phone found switched on will be confiscated. It's a much clearer rule, and encourages actual social interaction rather than everything being digital.

I assume you've checked what the rules are for mobile phones, and that they will be the same in September. At my school we're allowing phones as long as they are switched off in the bottom of their bag. Dd's school are asking for them to be handed in to a member of staff in the morning and collected at the end of the day.

SE13Mummy · 20/07/2021 12:00

My Y7 DD has an iPhone SE from 2016. It doesn't have safari, is set to prevent withheld numbers from calling her and makes use of the built-in app limits and screen time settings. Her access to most apps goes off at 8pm and on again at 7am the following morning but she can still use it for listening to music. Her school uses Show My Homework as well as the occasional kahoot but otherwise, phones shouldn't be out in class. DD's phone is good enough for what she needs but not fancy enough to be appealing to anyone else! £30 from eBay and a £1 per week PAYG from EE.

AnoymousCoward · 20/07/2021 12:19

@BiBabbles may I ask how one blocks the browser on Android please? I think this is something I need to do

Squiblet · 20/07/2021 13:18

[quote AnoymousCoward]@BiBabbles may I ask how one blocks the browser on Android please? I think this is something I need to do[/quote]
This is something I've tried to do several times, only to find the kids have hacked their way into what I thought was watertight security... they're much more clever than we are at this stuff!

What finally worked was to uninstall the entire browser, plus anything else you don't want them using, then use an AppLock program to password-protect the settings and the Play store so they can't reinstall it.

You do this by going into Settings --> Apps &notifications, then clicking on each individual app (such as Chrome) and clicking Uninstall. The phone will warn you against it, but you can ignore that.

Then download Applock from the Play store and lock everything else. Just make sure you remember the password yourself...

My kids have smartphones that only run Spotify, Replaio radio and BBC Sounds - basically music/podcast devices. It seems to work pretty well.

AnoymousCoward · 20/07/2021 13:25

Thank you @Squiblet! Thanks

Scoobydoobydoo · 20/07/2021 15:10

I have recently given my DS who is going to Y7 an old android.
We use the family link app which is brilliant for bed time and screen time limits.
We have also blocked the play store so every app approval has to come to us first.
However having constant app requests sent from him is making me rage (plus the whinge when I decline some apps)
I know I just need to be firm and not succumb to threats and standoffs
My older DD though is far more sensible and after many years on android has moved to an iphone so she can face time.
Still has limits and bed time but I have to set it up on her actual phone using a passcode as I haven't found a family link equivalent yet.
She is the only one on iphone in the house and the rest on android.

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