Mobile Phones

Technology has become embedded throughout society and has transformed the way we expect to engage with services and consume content. This is especially true for young people, where, according to an Ofcom survey in 2017, 46% of 5-15-year olds have their ow smartphone, and 49% have their own tablet.

A mobile phone, as well as other electronic devices laid out on a desk.

Our Mobile Phone Policy

At Cornfield School, we embrace the use of Educational Technology (EdTech) and we will help and support our students to navigate and make sense of the digital world around them.

At Cornfield, we believe our number one priority is the safety and happiness of every student. We have a legal obligation to keep students safe from harm and ensure we exercise our duty of care to teach students how to keep themselves safe.

In September 2018 the updated statutory guidance for schools, Keeping Children Safe in Education, puts legal responsibility on schools to ensure we are actively supervising and monitoring what students are accessing online.
This legal duty upon schools does not just relate to what students access in lessons on school computers, but also includes any content they might access whilst at school.

Mobile phones now include many additional functions such as an integrated camera, video recording capability, instant messaging, mobile office applications and mobile access to the internet.

These allow immediate access to email, searching for information on the internet and other functions such as access to social networking sites e.g. Facebook, twitter, snapchat and WhatsApp.
 
These functions can pose a risk to the maintenance of good discipline, the focus on learning and, crucially, the effective safeguarding of students in schools. This includes the risk of sophisticated bullying via social media platforms. In some cases, mobile phone use within secondary school environments has created serious student protection concerns.

Bullying, intimidation and harassment are not new in society; however bullying using a mobile phone represents a significant challenge for schools to manage.

Trauma informed Approach

Educational Support

We appreciate that there is a positive side to mobile phone technology and students often carry mobile phones so that they can contact parents before and after school or use them as a positive way to mange their school journey. Beyond this, there is no need for students to use their mobile phones in school.
 
Mobile phones and electronic devices are banned from use on the school site. Any that have been brought to school must be placed into the relevant tutor group storage container upon entry to the school. Mobile phones and devices will be returned at the end of the day.

Parents/carers have an important role in supporting the school’s policy on prohibiting the use of mobile phones and should be encouraged to reinforce and discuss the policy at home as appropriate, including the risks associated with mobile phone use and the benefits of a mobile phone-free environment.

Where parents need to contact their student during the school day, they should be directed to the school office, where staff should be aware of the school’s policy on relaying messages and facilitating contact.
Where parents have questions or concerns, staff should address these in a timely manner and clearly communicate the reasons for prohibiting the use of mobile phones.

More Information

For information relating to sanctions for not following the school policy or for more general information relating to mobile phones and electronic devices whilst at school, please refer to the Student Mobile Phone Policy.

Student Mobile Phone Policy

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