Mobile phones, including smart watches and wearable technology, are useful to many pupils and are increasingly regarded as essential by girls who have a difficult journey at the beginning and end of the day. However, inappropriate, irresponsible or prolonged use of mobile phones, can have a negative impact on learning and on the emotional wellbeing of our pupils.
All girls are asked to read this document carefully, along with the ICT Acceptable Use Agreement. No pupil may bring a mobile phone to school unless the declaration regarding mobile phones has been completed and submitted within the Annual Consent/Pupil Information form.
Y7-9 Phones must be switched off, not just to silent, at all times from entering the school building until 3.30pm and stored in a safe place.
Y10-11 Phones must be switched off, not just to silent, at all times between 8.30am and 3.30pm, except during morning break and lunch hour. Students in Y10-11 may use mobile devices, at the teacher's discretion, to add value to the learning taking place in a lesson (e.g. to participate in a Kahoot quiz). However, this would only be under the instruction and supervision of the teacher and we expect phones to be switched off at all other lesson times.
Y12 - 13 Phones can be used in the Sixth Form centre and do not need to be switched off on arrival at school, but should be set to silent/vibrate mode. When a Sixth Form student is in any other area of the school, including the dining room, phones should be out of site and not used. In classroom settings, phones should be out of site and on silent unless permission has been granted by a teacher to use it as part of the lesson itself. Eg: Kahoot/internet research.
All students must observe that mobile phones are not allowed to be used in the dining room, corridors or stairs of buildings or when moving around the site.
Looking after yourself and others
I will:
- keep my mobile phone with me at all times, or lock it in my locker.
- hand in any mobile phone that I find unattended to the school reception.
- not give my mobile number to other people unless I am sure that they are trustworthy.
- not allow others to use my phone.
Respecting the emotional well-being and privacy of others
I will not:
- use my mobile phone to harass, bully, upset or shock anyone else.
- use bad language in any communication.
- give anyone’s phone number to another person without her permission.
- take a photograph or video of anyone without their knowledge and permission.
Disruption of lessons and examinations
I will ensure that:
- my mobile phone is switched off from entering the school until 3.30pm, except for students in Y10-13 who can use them during morning break (11.05 – 11.25am) and lunchtime (12.25 – 1.25pm) .
- I do not have alarms/notifications set on my phone that will cause it to sound or vibrate.
- my mobile phone is switched off and left in my bag during school internal examinations
- my mobile phone is not brought into the examination room as instructed during external GCSE and A Level examinations
Sanctions
- Mobile phones, smart watches and wearable technology will be confiscated from girls who misuse them and returned at the end of the day.
- A minor first offence (including a phone going off accidently) is likely to result in a warning. Actually using a phone in class will result in a detention. Any second offence or a serious first offence will normally result in the pupil being banned from bringing a mobile phone to school for up to three months.
- Longer bans, detentions and more serious punishments are imposed on girls who continue to disregard the rules.
- Candidates found to have a mobile phone with them during an external examination (GCSE, AS, A2) are liable to disqualification by the Examination Board from that paper, and possibly other papers of that session.
Please also cross reference the ICT Acceptable Use Agreement.
| Responsibility: | Updated: | Review: |
|---|---|---|
| AR | 09/23 | 09/24 |