13 Jun 2024
A St Albans secondary school could become one of the first in the district to introduce an outright ban on smartphones.
Beaumont School is proposing to update its policy to ensure there is absolutely no use of smartphones on site, including teachers not being allowed to request children to use them for academic purposes.
The move comes after an unprecedented decision by St Albans Primary Schools Consortium – which brings together 20 out of 24 primary headteachers from across the district – asking parents not to let their children have a smartphone before they are 14.
The Smartphone-Free Childhood WhatsApp movement, which includes groups based in various St Albans schools, has been calling on restrictions since its launch earlier this year.
Beaumont’s new policy received overwhelming approval from parents and teachers during initial consultations, and it now needs to be approved by the school’s trustees before being implemented in September.
Staff will need to use this time to work out the practicalities of monitoring smartphone use and implementing consequences for breaches of policy.
Beaumont is also looking at its PHSE (personal, social, health and economic) curriculum to ensure it is in line with the latest research on smartphone use.
Its revised policy states: “At Beaumont School we recognise that mobile phones, including smartphones, and associated devices (e.g. smart watches) are an important part of everyday life for many of our students, staff and the wider school community.
“Despite this, we also know that these devices can risk unnecessary distraction, disruption and diversion. At all times, we aim to maintain a positive and safe learning environment for our students, so they all, whatever their background, can enjoy and excel.
“Following the publication of the non-statutory guidance on mobile phones in schools from the Department for Education, we have introduced a dedicated policy on student use of mobiles phones…”
Last month the Education Select Committee urged the next Government to consider proposals to ban smartphones for under-16s within its first year in office, claiming the risks of increased screen time for children and young people significantly outweighed its benefits, and without urgent action more children could be put at risk of being exposed to inappropriate content.
The Beaumont policy explains: “Students are allowed to keep personal possession of their mobile phones only on the strict condition that they are never used, seen or heard in school. This rule applies from the point that students enter the school site to the point where they leave the school site. If a student is seen or found in contravention of this rule, the device(s) will be confiscated…
“This rule applies to all parts of the school day, including lesson and curriculum time. Teachers must not ask students in Years 7-11 to use a mobile phone in a lesson. If it is determined that access to a device would be beneficial to support learning, teachers must plan for this and arrange for a school-issued device to be used e.g. arranging to use a Chromebook trolley or booking a PC room. There are no exceptions to this rule during the school day while students are on site…”
Pupils are warned that their phones may be searched if a teacher believes it could contain potentially harmful files or data, including sexting, upskirting, threats of violence or assault, and the police may be contacted if necessary.
The policy also extends to day trips, off-site PE fixtures, tournaments and events, and KS3 residential trips.
The St Albans Times contacted Beaumont School headteacher Martin Atkinson for comment on the new policy earlier this week but has yet to receive a response.
Meanwhile, the newly selected Reform UK candidate for St Albans, John Dowdle, has offered his opinion on whether smartphones should be banned for under-16s, following previous comments by other candidates in the constituency.
“That – surely – is a decision for parents to make? What I will say is that it is important for young people to have a means of communication with their parents or guardians. Possibly, parents should consider giving simple pay-as-you-go phones to their children so that they can be contacted in an emergency. At home, the children could have access to more online material provided the parents monitor what they are accessing. These days, a lot of school work is being conducted online and this needs to be accommodated.”
