Legal ban on smartphones, schools in England

Great! They can get on with their school work instead of looking at porn.

I taught 6th form and found phones extremely useful so they could screen shot notes or assignments from the board. Saved so much time.

I well remember the shock I felt on discovering that phones were allowed in school
Same with vending machines

At my children's high school a few of the PTA members offered to stock and run a vending machine.
The head teacher was wary because of the expected increase in litter.
When he realised we could fund a second minibus with the profits he decided it was a good thing!

eazybee

Perhaps they could apply this rule in the Chamber during debates. Saw people busily tapping away at their phones during the recent stormy debates. If they concentrated on the matters under discussion perhaps they would be rather more aware of what is going on.

👍👍👍 Wasn’t one MP once “caught” playing candy crush.?

GrannyGravy13

I have said before, our GC having their phone and being able to ring home from the school toilets, scared as he had been severely beaten up prevented him from further injuries…

What an utterly appalling thing to do!

Our last three children travelled by bus to an out of catchment school, they all had phones, they were told to keep them off during school hours and in the inside zipped pockets of their blazers (by us)

Perhaps they could apply this rule in the Chamber during debates. Saw people busily tapping away at their phones during the recent stormy debates. If they concentrated on the matters under discussion perhaps they would be rather more aware of what is going on.

I have said before, our GC having their phone and being able to ring home from the school toilets, scared as he had been severely beaten up prevented him from further injuries…

RedPandaNation

In my daughter’s school they have implemented magnetic pouches. Pupils pop them in at the start of the day and they unlock at the end. She is impressed with the system and tells me that pupils responded well. If there is an emergency at home, parents ring the school office.

Great system. I would completely support this.

petra

^Im very glad but I think it will be hard to enforce^
It works very well in my granddaughters school.
They have no idea when there is going to be a spot check.
It could be in the middle of a lesson when they will all be told to assemble in the hall.
No coats and no bags.
The girls wear trousers in her school so many places to hide.
If someone is found with a phone it is confiscated for 3 days.

I think phones shouldn’t be confiscated simply for being in a bag or on a person.

Using them is different to having them in a school bag.

If used, take them away and return them at the end if the school day.

I well remember the shock I felt on discovering that phones were allowed in school
Same with vending machines.

Some schools are campaigning for government grants to implement the magnetic pouch system. An excellent use of government money if you ask me

sazz1

My DGC all ride bikes to and fro school and have fell off a few times. For safety reasons to contact their parents they needed their phone. The school already bans their use on school premises which I think is sufficient

Well yes, that’s all they can do. They can’t prevent kids having phones during their journey.
They can implement an hand them in/pick them up when you leave system, though. It’s not difficult.

In my daughter’s school they have implemented magnetic pouches. Pupils pop them in at the start of the day and they unlock at the end. She is impressed with the system and tells me that pupils responded well. If there is an emergency at home, parents ring the school office.

My DGC all ride bikes to and fro school and have fell off a few times. For safety reasons to contact their parents they needed their phone. The school already bans their use on school premises which I think is sufficient

Definitely a good idea. Pupils will no longer be bullied by their peers into having to have a smartphone in school.

Also, as a retired teacher, I can't tell you how much time was wasted trying to get phones switched off and into bags in lessons.

I’m glad that this is going to happen, though some pupils will get round it. I was a voluntary pupil mentor last year. The pupil was a sixteen year old male, who was often in trouble, and, on occasion, he was asked to hand over his phone. He told me that it wasn’t a problem, as he had another one in his bag which the school didn’t know about. I didn’t rat on him, as, being a volunteer, it was important that I gained his trust. I would only report anything of a serious nature.

25Avalon

Some schools are already doing it. One private school collects pupil’s phones on arrival and returns them at the end of the day, so on their way to and from school they have the use of their phone. This covers for emergencies. I can see no reason why they need a phone during the day. Parents and pupils have accepted this.

As I said above, my granddaughters school banned phones some years ago.
The children can’t take phones into the school.

rosie1959

Certain pupils should still be allowed their smart phones Type 1 diabetics for instance their phones monitor their blood levels.

Other monitors are now quite reasonably available with dedicated monitors, no phone required.

Some schools are already doing it. One private school collects pupil’s phones on arrival and returns them at the end of the day, so on their way to and from school they have the use of their phone. This covers for emergencies. I can see no reason why they need a phone during the day. Parents and pupils have accepted this.

The ban will not be popular to start with, but many pupils will realise after a while that using phones, ipads and computers less while at school actually makes the school-day easier and less tiring.

The ban will presumably only apply during the time spent at school - that at least is what is being done in Denmark, where some schools have a voluntary agreement about no phones turned on in the classroom, or at break. Obviously, a child walking or taking public transport or cycling to school can have a phone with them - they turn it off at school, and some schools (to prevent theft) put phones in a locked drawer in the teacher's desk or a classroom cupboard at the start of the school day, and hand them out when the bell goes after the last lesson of the day.

Pupils were appalled to start off with, but now the majority find it easier to concentrate without text messages all the time, and enjoy talking or playing with their friends during break, rather than surfing the Internet.

rosie1959

Certain pupils should still be allowed their smart phones Type 1 diabetics for instance their phones monitor their blood levels.

Yes, my granddaughter has T1D and will be allowed her phone.

Glad they’ve realised how bad the situation has got.

I worked in a secondary school nearly 20 years ago and phones were a problem then.
Heaven knows what it’s like now.

Our GD is 11 and has had a phone since 9 as she has a long bus journey to school.
As soon as she steps off the bus a staff member is there with a box in which she places her phone.

Yes it’s a private school and staff pupil ratios are high but surely it can’t be so hard to enforce

Although I am in favour of banning phones in schools, for all the obvious reasons, I have a few questions.
Who is going to ‘police’ this ban? Will teachers be expected to challenge students?
If they are put in the lockable pouches, at what cost? A large comprehensive school will have around 1000 students, possibly more.
Where will they be stored? In form rooms? Another problem for the form teacher.
Some schools have form time mid morning, as registration is electronic in the first lesson, then who will supervise the handing in of the phone?
I suspect all of these questions will be met with ‘ it’s up to the individual schools and their budgets’.
This could be very costly for the schools, money that could be spent on retention and recruitment of staff.

Also reduce the risk of certain sorts of bullying and taking photos which are inappropriate and that threatening feeling of always potentially being in the spotlight.

Make more actually talk to each other and socialise normally.