Our new policy on mobile phones at High Storrs School

Interestingly HSS has been one of the last secondary schools (if not the last) in our local area to move from limits on the use of mobile phones in school to a ban on mobile phones in school. In truth we have reflected on our policy periodically but felt for the most part our use of ‘phone zones’ at break and lunchtime (along with more freedoms for Sixth Formers) worked. So, when the government announced updated guidance earlier this year we started to read more around the issue.

We have always grappled with the fall-out of use of smart phones and some apps. Everyone who spends any time with children knows how addictive and problematic the technology can be. And how easy it is for hurtful messages to be shared and for hurt to be caused (we suffer from this too - some of the hastily tapped out replies to our messages or posts on social media show sides of people we know would not be shown if we were talking face to face). We see the fall-out and damage to self-esteem.  Reading information on the ‘smart phone free childhood’ website added to this worrying picture. Smartphone Free Childhood. It helped us to feel much more at peace with the steps we are taking and hopeful that our stance might mean that a child currently in Y4 will not now necessarily have a smartphone bought for them at the end of Y6 so that they can ‘fit in’ with all the other students. We have read and heard about the pressures on families to buy such devices for younger and younger students and hope that this new policy supports those families. And reduces screen time. And reduces some of the issues and worries caused by the easy access to social media for these developing minds.

However, we have also been clear in all our information shared with students that there are benefits and positives to this technology. As and when families decide they want their child to have and use a smart phone there is still plenty of time to do so – less than 20% of a child’s waking hours are spent in school every year. We are also aware that there will be some habit change needed for some students who have relied on their phone to tell them the time or to check their timetable. As we note in our ‘FAQ’ document (below) we have shared answers to these common questions. And of course, students can still have their phone to use on their way to and from school if that is what the family decides, as long as they are switched off and out of sight when they are within the school gates (including before and after school).

Here is the link to the letter that was sent to all families with the full details of the new policy that will be in place from Monday 17 June. All the procedures for dealing with misuse of phones in school are already in place; sadly, there have always been students who have tried to use their phones outside our old ‘phone zones’ and even in lessons. This has probably been all too easy with a phone that is switched on and, in a pocket, (for instance when response pings through from a message sent at breaktime in a phone zone etc). From Monday 17 June these devices will be out of sight (and hearing) for the entire school day for students (with some mitigations for Sixth Formers) and we look forward to students who are grappling with fewer distractions, having even more conversations with peers and hopefully worrying just a little bit less about something that may or may not have been said on social media.