Learner mobile phones

Mobile phones are not allowed on the primary site in Whelley.  Any that are brought into school must be handed in at reception where they will be kept securely until the learner leaves at the end of the day.

Secondary-aged learners attending the Hindley Campus or vocational learning placements usually travel to school independently therefore we recognise that parents/carers will feel that they are safer if they carry their phones to and from school.  We also know that learning is significantly affected by the constant distraction of a mobile phone and we recognise that social networking during the school day can be harmful and/or distressing. This raises safeguarding issues.

We are also concerned that learners may video, photograph or record adults and/or learners without permission. The publication of such media online is illegal.

Our procedure is easy to understand.

On arrival:

• Learners must put their phones into their locker where it can be stored securely until the end of the school day, or until the learner leaves; or
• Learners may hand them in at the office to be charged;
• Learners do not take any personal items to off-site activities where they return to school at the end of the day. If they are not returning (e.g. an all day trip) the lead member of staff will look after their items and distribute them as they disembark.

Learners may choose to deny they have a phone with them.  Learners who are found to have a phone (or any other electronic device) on them at any time during the school day will be asked to hand it over and it will be stored as above.  The incident will be recorded on the behaviour log.

If learners persistently deny having a phone and are later found with one, there will usually be a consequence (e.g. removal of privilege such as reward trips).

If the learner refuses to hand in their mobile phone, the incident will be recorded on the behaviour log as a serious incident, and the learner may:

• have the phone confiscated for the rest of the day;
• the parent/carer may be asked to come and pick it up;
• be refused entry to the building;
• be asked to leave the site.

We ask that parents / carers support us in this policy by not telephoning their child during school hours.  If you need to get in touch with your child, call the school office and a message will be passed to your child at a convenient point in the day. 

We prefer that news which may distress learners is broken to them by members of staff who are then able to support the learner in dealing with the news.  Again, this is best achieved by contacting the school office and asking to speaker to a member of staff to give them the details to be shared with the learner.

In exceptional circumstances, if a learner has significant issues outside of school, we may make arrangements for them to be able to check their phone at suitable intervals.