Mobile Phone Policy

RAINFORD CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

 

 Learning and growing together to achieve our best in the love of God’

 

 Mobile Phone Policy

 

 

Approved for LGB: Spring 2023

 

To be reviewed on or before:      Spring 2026

 

 

Signed……………………………………………  Chair of Governors

 

 

Signed……………………………………………  Headteacher

 

 

 

 

Our Mission Statement

 

‘Learning and growing together to achieve our best in the love of God’

 

School Aims

In order to prepare today’s children for tomorrow’s challenges, Rainford CE Primary Schools aims to achieve the following:

  • Every child will be encouraged to understand the meaning and significance of faith, experience God’s love and develop the spirituality to enable them to live out our Christian values of love, joy, peace, friendship, forgiveness, perseverance and justice

 

  • Every child will achieve their full potential through being a highly motivated, resilient and independent learner who embraces new experiences, has confidence to tackle challenges and go onto develop a lifelong love of learning.

 

  • Every child will value themselves as a unique individual with special qualities and strengths developing self-discipline and honesty; taking responsibility for their own actions and appreciating their ability to make a positive difference in the world.

 

  • Every child will appreciate and respect others, celebrate differences between individuals and groups and respect and care for God’s creation and the environment.

 

  • Every child will be encouraged to make healthy choices and appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

In order to do this, we will constantly reflect the Christian ethos of our school in our relationships with our children, their families, our staff, the church and the wider community.

 

 

 

AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THIS POLICY

 

Parents should discourage pupils from bringing mobile phones to school on the grounds that they are valuable and may be lost or stolen. 

 

However, we recognise that in Year Six mobile phones may have a part to play in securing pupils’ personal safety on journeys to and from school.  Moreover, a ban would be difficult to enforce and would not be consistent with the aim of developing a culture of responsible use of mobile phone and other digital devices by pupils.  Our expectation is that in all other year groups pupils will be collected by an adult or responsible person.  If a pupil needs to contact his/her parents/carers they will be allowed to use a school phone. If parents need to contact children urgently they should phone the school office and a message will be relayed promptly. 

 

Under no circumstances will pupils be allowed to take mobile phones on school excursions.

 

PROCEDURES

 

Parents of Year Six pupils will need to complete the permission form (Appendix 1) and hand this to their class teacher. With consideration to this, it is to be made clear to parents that where they have been given permission for their child to bring a mobile phone to school they do so entirely at their own risk. The school accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage whilst the device is on school premises. 

 

Pupils

Where a pupil does bring a mobile phone to school, the phone must remain switched off during the school day and may not be used for any purpose on school premises or during off-site school activities (such as swimming or sports).  In exceptional circumstances, e.g. for medical emergencies, the Headteacher may agree that a child may have access to a mobile phone on the school premises for medical reasons only. 

Any phones should be given to class teacher at 08:50-09:00 and will be returned at 15:30. Under no circumstances should there be access to phones during the school day or be left in pupils’ bags, coats or folders except in the circumstances described in the previous paragraph with the Headteacher’s permission. 

 

Inappropriate use of a mobile phone

If a pupil is found taking photographs or video footage with a mobile phone of either pupils or teachers, this will be regarded as a serious offence and a member of the Senior Management Team should be involved from the outset.   If images of other pupils or teachers have been taken the phone will not be returned to the pupil until the images have been deleted.

 

The parent/guardian will be contacted by a member of the SMT.  If this is not possible, then a letter will be sent notifying them of the seriousness of this action.  

 

In the rare circumstance that there is evidence of harassment and/or bullying, the phone or digital device should be confiscated, retained in a secure place by an appropriate member of staff, taking care not to delete any images or recordings which could be used as evidence.  Accurate records of any incidents should be given to the Headteacher to be logged in an appropriate file.

 

Smart Watches

Due to their ability to view photographs, smart watches are not allowed to be worn in school. 

 

Sanctions

Pupils who infringe the agreement set out in this policy may not be allowed to bring their mobile phone into school.

 

On the first infringement the mobile phone would be confiscated by the teacher and taken to a secure place within the school office. The student will be able to collect the mobile phone at the end of the school day and a record will be made of the incident. A letter will also be sent to the parent/carer to inform them of the incident.

 

On the second infringement the mobile phone would be confiscated by the teacher and taken to a secure place within the school office. Parents will be notified and the pupil will not be permitted to collect the phone without a parent/carer’s consent. If a parent/carer is unable to attend the school they are permitted to phone and give verbal consent for their child to collect the phone and must speak to a member of the management team. The incident will be recorded.

 

On the third infringement the mobile phone would be confiscated by the teacher and taken to a secure place within the school office. Parents will be notified and the pupil will not be permitted to collect the phone without a parent/carer present. After the third infringement the school will withdraw the agreement to allow the student to bring the mobile telephone to school.

 

Parents and Visitors

Parents and visitors will be asked to turn phones off when volunteering in classrooms and attending assemblies so that there is no disruption to the school’s programs.  Notwithstanding this, we accept that there may be some parents/carers who wish to use their mobile phone camera facility to take photographs of their child while performing in special assemblies or events.  This will be kept under review by the Governors.

Conclusion

The school will treat breaches of this policy as they would treat any other breach of school rules or staff discipline policy.

 

Appendix A – Mobile phone permission form

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

RAINFORD CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

MOBILE PHONE PERMISSION SLIP

 

Name of child _____________________                                                 Class __________

I give permission for my child to bring a mobile phone into school for the purposes of health and safety as they journey to and from school.

I agree that the phone will not be used for any circumstances during the school day and is not to be used to take photographs of staff or pupils at school.

I understand that this is entirely at our own risk and that the school accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage whilst the device is on school premises. 

 

 

Signed __________________________________