As part of the ongoing guidance from the Department of Education, we are reviewing our school policy regarding mobile phones. We want to reassure parents and carers that while we navigate this process, our commitment will always be to act in the best interests of our pupils.

Interestingly, when I recently asked our Key Stage 2 pupils about bringing phones to school, around 30-50% admitted that they sometimes or often do so. Many expressed that they bring their phones to stay in touch with home while travelling. While we understand this might be a necessary safety measure, we're also concerned about the potential for phones to be lost or damaged in school bags. There’s also the risk of children using them to take photos, videos, or send messages during school hours, which is clearly inappropriate and raises significant safeguarding concerns.

To help us manage this situation effectively, we kindly ask parents to ensure their child leaves their phone at home, if possible. If it’s essential for your child to bring their phone, please inform the school, encourage your child to check their phone in at the office at the start of the day, and remind them to collect it again when they leave. If a child brings their phone without permission, we will keep it safe and work with you to agree on the next steps.

My child brings a phone to school