What is your secondary school’s stance on mobile phones?

[parrotonmyshoulder]

DC’s schools are allowed them at all times. Some teachers have ‘no phones in lessons’ rules, others have ‘no phones when I’m talking’ rules. I’ve only known the school since Covid and DD seemed to think they ‘had’ to have them in lessons to access google classroom etc.
Kids of all year groups have them at break times.
I can’t understand how they can manage safeguarding under these circumstances. It’s an enormous school.
I’ve been concerned for a while but currently have a very upset child (y8) who has been shown something that stops her sleeping or being in a room alone. Nothing actually bad in this case (easily afraid and generally anxious - we’re dealing with this) but absolutely could have been a pornographic or otherwise illegal/ image or clip.
I know I won’t be getting a whole policy change, but don’t really know what to say to school. I thought that we had educated DD well on this stuff, and she thought she knew what to do - but when in a new group, trying to fit in, being a kid, she made the wrong decision.

Phone used to be allowed and used in some lessons but kept out of sight.

Since September there's a no phone must be seen ever rule. If you need it to travel to and from school it needs to be turned off while on the premises. This u-turn was because of Everyone's Invited and they admit that it's small but they think it'll make school safer

Phones allowed with permission pass but must be on silent and in bags the entire time they are on school site.

If heard/seen then confiscated and have to be collected by parents.

Also no phone allowed with value of more than £100 and you have to register the make, serial number and phone number to get the permission pass.

Laptops/iPads allowed for SEN with accompanying EP or other report, but they can't connect to the school wifi.

In practice they all seem to comply 99% of the time. I randomly check DD's phone and apps and they all seem pretty well behaved.

Allowed on person at all times.

Only allowed to use when given permission or in transit/break time.

Violations may be cracked down on hard.

I'm not aware that phone use is a problem.

Great policy when DC need to tell us they were asked at short notice to attend sport fixture, forgot lunch or other kit.

@parrotonmyshoulder

But you try, by the sounds of it. I understand how hard it must be to manage.

We’ve banned them this school year - I’ve seen one or two furtive little twitches to check texts from students but am happily surprised at the lack of sneaky use which we had loads of when they could use them at social times. Still getting loads of kids reporting being bullied by WhatsApp outside school- they’re mostly too young to have or cope with social media and their parents seem to not want to police it at home.

DS school does not allow them to be used during the school day, mobiles have to switched off before they go through the school gate and not switched on until they leave school premises. Parents and pupils have to sign an agreement to say they will stick to this rule. My stance was, that if there was a real emergency ( he was being bullied at the time) then DS could contact me.

Not to be seen or used at all during the school day at our DDs secondary.

All phones kept in locker during the day.
Single sex girls' school. Never heard of anyone viewing or being shown pornographic content at school, or in transit to or from school, in contrast to other friends' kids who attend mixed sex schools, where this seems to be a problem.

First to third years (I think that’s year 8-10?) in ds’ school (Ireland)are not allowed phones at all. Not even for travelling to and from school. No exceptions.
I’m not sure what happens in the older year groups.

I am amazed at all these schools allowing phones, I have been a teacher 15 years in several schools and never heard of any school which allows phone use. If we see or hear a phone, we confiscate it and return at the end of the day, with a detention issued, it really isn't a big deal and the vast vast majority of students comply.

DDs secondary school, they have to be switched off at 8.30am as they enter form time and everyone has to hand them to the form tutor who keeps them in a locked box until they leave school at 4.10pm - works really well.

My dd left year 11 this summer. At her school you couldn't bring a smart phone to school at all. She took a 'brick' phone for most of the time as she was fairly compliant but I suspect others didn't. In y11 she rebelled and took her smart phone. I suspect a blind eye was turned as they knew y11 was under pressure with endless assessments for evidence towards their GCSEs. (She also dyed her hair a non natural colour which isn't allowed, and beyond one comment, they ignore that too)

My older dd went to a school where phones couldn't be seen during school hours or they were confiscated for the rest of the week. She went through a phase of disappearing after school, so actually they didn't impose this the few times she did get caught using it in school as they knew we needed to be able to contact her.

@GuyFawkesDay

Not seen or heard in my school.

Phones are off and in bags all day until they're off school site. Reality of that is on the bus on the way home and into school.

It's way easier to police and we have had fewer incidents around social media and misuse of phones since we banned in school.

Same.

So much better for everyone. Phone sanctions are low too because pupils learn fast to not get them out during the school day.

Allowed to have them, but must be turned off on school premises. If found on, confiscated for a day for first offence, a week for second offence and if a third, a parent/carer has to come to school and grovel for it back!

Phones are only allowed after school/on school bus. At school they have to be off and in the bag. I really like this policy I must say. There is no benefit whatsoever to allow kids to use mobile phones at school. They spend enough time on them at home!

I know many more lenient schools who allow phones, and I don't like it, as kids end up playing on them/watching videos all day long

[quote parrotonmyshoulder]@itsgettingwierd
‘And if your stupid enough to get involved In sending or watching inappropriate stuff - then enjoy the consequences’

Bit too simplistic I think.[/quote]
But it is simple.

They get taught cyber safety and get taught the rules.

They choose whether to listen or not. They choose whether to send inappropriate things or not.

The problem is that nowadays everyone wants to excuse kids for making bad decisions. If they do something wrong they own it and accept the consequences and move on.

Or better still - don't be stupid and do what you know is wrong in the first place!

@Toastandcrumpets

I don’t know about social life but I don’t like draconian policies around phones .

They are a part of life and children should be taught and encouraged to use them responsibly.

Totally agree. They get taught sensible and legal use.

The fact they choose not to follow this is their responsibility.

I've worked with teens for nearly my whole working life and it's amazing how many can manage responsibility.

It's amazing how W everyone wants to climate anyone but the teen themselves when they choose not to be sensible.

I’ve had 5 children text home saying they aren’t well today. They haven’t gone to see a member of staff, they go to the toilets and text. Their parents then ring in or turn up and use up a chunk of staff time going to see them etc. Phones have to be confiscated, phone calls home made.
None of them were actually unwell. 2 went home because their parents turn up and demanded they go home. It’s like this most Fridays now.

I don’t know if it’s better in schools where phones are allowed but I doubt it. The problem is if parents aren’t on board then it’s even harder to police.

They can’t get them out during class or passing periods unless instructed by a teacher. All students have school provided laptops, but sometimes it’s easier to have students do something on their phones so teachers will have students use them instead. Before and after school starts they have full access.

@megletthesecond

Off and in bags. If they're seen they're confiscated and only handed back to a parent at the end of the day.

This. Works well. Off until after the school bell & they are outside gates

School I'm at now - not meant to have them out indoors, it a 'put it away' the first time and a detention the second time.

School I was at before brought in zero tolerance, switched off and in bag at the school gates, confiscated if seen. It worked really well and I wish my new school would do it.

Encouraged at my kids school. No excuse for missing homework as they photograph it. Google classroom and email to contact teachers. Photo notes from boards so no excuse you’ve lost your book.
Have never heard of problems

If phones are seen at all. I even mean at break time or after school on school grounds its a c3 if it happens again its a 2 week ban of the phone. They also have mobile phone signal blocking stuff in school. Another parent was complaining that her dd rang them at reception at lunch to check what time they wasbgetting them for the doctors and the child got a c3

Wow, your empathetic! 😂
Yes, if phones didn't exist he would have to manage as best he could.
This would drastically affect his quality of life, making an already awful condition even more intrusive and unpleasant. As a result of modern tech, including mobile phones it dramatically decreases long term complications and premature death. All of which was normal for previous generations.
So no, I'd rather not pretend phones don't exist.
The world is a changing place. Schools need to move with the times. I'm sure the school environment is vastly different from generation to generation as the world moves on. Which is normal and right.

Phones are not allowed, if the teacher finds it is turned on it is confiscated and the parent has to come in and pick the phone up.

I find my children’s schools stance on phones quite hypocritical and confusing. The official line is that they must be turned off during school hours, including breaks. Anyone found using one in the toilets or anywhere has it confiscated. However, teachers often tell them that hey can take out their phones and use them if they finish work early, or in form time.