Personal Devices
Starting from the beginning of September 2024, we will require all learners to submit their mobile phones and any other devices that they bring from home, to staff, upon arrival at school each morning. The phones and devices will be safely stored and returned to the learners at the end of the school day before they go home, to enable their use for the learners’ return journey.
We have thought carefully about this decision and we have also consulted with other schools in the group for their views and experience. As it transpires, Gretton will be the last school in the group to be implementing these changes, following prohibition of mobile phones and devices in all other Newcome schools for similar reasons of safety. As such, we are confident that this is the right thing to do, although we do understand that this may be a difficult change for some learners initially.
In addition to mobile phones, this policy includes all technical devices where there is web access or gaming features, such as smart watches and personal gaming devices.
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This decision has been made after careful consideration and in response to a growing number of concerns related to online safety and poor engagement with peers. We have observed an increase in incidents and concerns logged by both staff and parents that are directly related to the use of mobile phones and online activities during school hours and beyond. These issues include exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and distractions from learning activities.
Our new policy aligns with the latest guidance from the government on safeguarding children in educational settings. The Department for Education emphasises the importance of managing and monitoring children's use of technology to protect them from online risks and the latest guidance also recommends devices are no longer permitted during the school day. By collecting mobile phones and other devices at the start of the day, we aim to mitigate these risks and create a safer, more focused learning environment. Learners will still be permitted reward time on their Chromebooks, through which we are better able to monitor content and manage the impact on learning.