Mobile Phone Policy
At St Joseph’s we are committed to ensuring your child’s safety and happiness while in school.
In this fast-moving technological age, mobile phone technology means mobiles are so much more than simply phones, and this leaves students open to cyber-bullying as well as accessing material and images that none of us would wish them to see, sometimes being sent these without their knowledge.
We advocate that mobile phones are not brought into school but recognise that often this may be part of how you safeguard your child on their journey to and from school. We ask therefore that you work with us and educate your child on it's appropriate use during the school day.
If you do choose for your child to bring a mobile phone into school then the following criteria will apply:
- Mobile phones must not be seen, used or heard whilst on school premises without permission from a member of staff.
Should your child need to use their mobile phone during the school day they may ask permission of a member of staff who will make arrangements for them to do so. Should you need to contact your child we ask that you do so through the School Office.
If a student is seen using a mobile phone for any reason on school premises without permission, or if the phone ‘goes off’ whilst on premises, it will be confiscated and stored in the school office. On the first occasion the mobile will be returned to the student the same day, should this be repeated we will ask parents or carers to support us in educating their child and ask that it be collected by an adult.
We recognise that some parents genuinely would like students to carry mobiles to and from school for their personal safety, however we would like to ask that parents remind their child that police advice is for young people not to make open use of mobile phones in public places to reduce street crime.
Inappropriate text messaging is sometimes used as a form of bullying and if this proves to be happening in school it must be dealt with appropriately (please see our anti-bullying policy and cyberbullying policy). If you become aware of any such incidents then please report them to the relevant Head of Year.
If a mobile phone goes off during a GCSE examination then this will have to be reported to the relevant examination board. Please can all examination candidates remember this as it may result in disqualification from the exam, or even the entire subject.
If a mobile phone is brought into school it may be left in the school office during the day. Each student must place their phone in an envelope (on which they write their name) into which they place their phone. This is then handed in to the main office and can be collected at the end of the school day.
Energy Drinks – Statement
In response to recent national guidance and our online consultation with parents governors have confirmed energy drinks will continue to be added to the list of banned substances here at St Joseph’s. Evidence has demonstrated that energy drinks impact negatively on student attitudes and achievement and they will be confiscated in line with school policy and procedures.
Any energy drinks will therefore be confiscated from students.*
To avoid any confusion or misunderstanding, any bottles that display energy drink branding will also be confiscated.
Students should look to carry their drinking water in non energy drink bottles.
The Headteacher shall be the final arbiter in any confiscation decision.
*Screening, Searching and Confiscation– Advice for headteachers, school staff and governing bodies (Feb 2014)