Senior/secondary schools restricting phone use Post Reply

[Goldhawk]

Can anyone with kids at secondary school elaborate on new restrictions on the kids using smart phones at school?
I heard that Emanuel are banning smart phones on the school site - is this just for new pupils or for the whole school?
I couldn't find any info online just references to a "laptop and mobile policy" but no policy itself

I know that Graveney bans phones but have any other schools embraced this?

[Abbmun]

Emanuel have announced a smartphone ban for the incoming year six that will then continue up the school as this year six moves up until at least year nine. Their goal is to be smartphone free for years 6-9. New year seven joiners are being softly encouraged to follow suit if they feel minded to do so. Very interestingly Emanuel have run their own evidence based studies on impact of disconnecting from smartphones with small groups of pupils, the results of which have led them to this new policy. I understand Alleyn’s policy is under review with new year seven’s being advised they may not wish to shell out on a smartphone which the school may then decide to ban from being on site a few weeks later. They sent comms out a week or so ago on the subject which was pretty anti smartphones for the younger years of the senior school. I’ve also seen the new head of Streatham and Clapham has been in the press this week speaking out against smartphone usage and last I heard had told incoming year seven parents their policy was also under review and to be communicated shortly..

Head of Wimbledon high is also advising in open day Q and As not to buy smartphones for girls year nine and under.

Generally seems to be a very ‘live’ and fast moving topic across South London schools right now.

[Nightingale]

S&C sent comms yesterday confirming smartphone ban from y7 this September.

Hornsby House has also confirmed a smartphone ban from September.

[Goldhawk]

It seems fine if they are walking to school but smartphones enable them to check train/bus information

[Pinky123]

Trinity has always had this policy, for years. All phones need to be locked in lockers for the entire day and can't be touched until 3.45. This includes lunch breaks etc. If anyone gets caught with the phone, they get confiscated and there are sanctions. We love it and boys don't even question it as it's now normal

[Pinky123]

And to clarify - the ban is not just for earlier years like Emanuel but also for more senior years. It's just the general school policy

[Nightingale]

The new Emanuel and S&C policies go further though and ban smartphones from the school rather than saying they can put in lockers. They will only be allowed to bring brick phones on site.

[saveourchildren]

Well done to all of these schools!

[Evergreen]

At Ibstock Place school phones are switched off and go in lockers all day. Children receive a detention if phones are seen. This has been the policy for years.
Surprised to learn from this chat how many schools allow phones during the school day.

[Btwmum]

I assumed smart phones were already banned during school hours??? I am a bit shocked this is just happening now. Especially for Hornsby house??! Surely kids so small don’t have smart phones and if they had they were always banged??!
Or is it a ban even on the trip to school? The issue with that is if kids are taking trains or buses it would be hard for them to check on travel disruptions.
The best policy would be to lock the phones on entrance, as many secondary schools are already doing.

[B2bclaous]

I don’t understand how the ban of smartphones helps in schools where they extensively use tablets. At S&C nearly everything is done in tablets that have access to the internet. Parents struggle to get kids doing homework and not going on you tube and various sites. I am sure kids are also surfing the web at school and using online chats. How is it different from a phone when they can access everything anyway from their tablets?

[Noles]

Wimbledon High invested in see through lockers last year; phones kept in there all day. Nothing to suggest that will change for next year. They have discouraged WhatsApp groups. My daughter is in year 7.

[Evergreen]

I can only speak from our experience but we have a kind of ‘hire ‘ arrangement for the school devices , which are monitored and site search restricted. The kids enter into a responsible usage agreement and don’t message each other on the school devices.
They have to go outside at breaks. No devices.
Everyone knows no phones are allowed during the day in school and the school devices are for school work only. Even at home they are only allowed to search up subject related sites on the school device.
It’s just the norm for them.

[Goldhawk]

Hornsby Y6s who take phones to school hand them in to the office each morning
From Sept they will not allow the children to bring smart phones or smart watches on the school site

[manta]

The pace public opinion and schools are moving on this is great. There is a huge difference between banning smartphones even being brought to school and putting them in lockers.

I believe the Emanuel (and maybe s&c) approach is also to discourage families from getting their kids smartphones at all. This would be a big factor in our secondary school choice. (& I say this as someone who's worked in tech for 15+ years!)