Keeping phones out of the classroom

Last week I joined Kirsty Rogers, Headteacher at Aureus Secondary School in Didcot as she hosted a meeting with other headteachers, school leaders and councils to talk about their approach to banning phones in school.

They have adopted a particular system, using lockable pouches, but there are lots of those things used by schools, such as lock boxes. For most of us a mobile phone is a useful - sometimes indispensable - addition to our lives, but during the school day they distract pupils, disrupt classes, can lead to poor discipline and lower attainment.

There are a number of perceived barriers to implementing a proper phone free policy in school - phones connected to medical devices, and young carers for example - but the experience of schools that have embraced a proper ban shows that these problems can be overcome. The benefits of removing the distraction can hugely outweigh the costs, reducing disruption, truancy and bullying.

I’ve already been in touch with other schools and discussing how we can spread best practice to all schools in Thames Valley.