Adopted and implemented by the Principal:

February 2025

To be reviewed: 

February 2026

Intention

The mobile phone and smartwatch policy aims to allow users to benefit from modern communication technologies, whilst promoting safe and appropriate practice through establishing clear and robust acceptable guidelines. This is achieved through balancing protection against potential misuse with the recognition that mobile phones are effective communication tools.  It is recognised that it is the enhanced functions of many mobile phones and smartwatches that cause the most concern, offering distractions and disruption to the working day, and which are most susceptible to misuse – including the taking and distribution of indecent images, exploitation and bullying. This policy refers to all mobile communication devices in school.

Scope

This policy applies to all individuals who have access to personal mobile phones on site.  This includes staff, volunteers, children, young people, carers, visitors and contractors.  This list is not exhaustive.  

Children

Mobile phones

Nursery to Year 4

Nursery to Year 4 pupils are not allowed to bring a mobile phone to school.  If a child in these year groups brings a phone to school, it will be handed over to the office for safekeeping during the day.  A parent or carer must collect it from the office.

Year 5  to Year 6

Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are permitted to bring a mobile phone to school if they walk to and from school without adult supervision.  If parents want their child to bring a phone for this reason, written permission must first be handed to the school office. (see Appendix A).

Children in Year 5 and Y6 are permitted to bring their mobile phone to school on the understanding that they agree with the following:

• All mobile phones should be named and handed to the office at the beginning of the day and collected at the end of the day.

• Mobile phones must be switched off at all times during the school day, including break and lunchtimes, and remain off whilst pupils are on the school premises.

Smart watches

Children are not permitted to wear smartwatches in school except for in medical circumstances.

Mobile phone and smartwatch misuse

• It is not permitted to film or photograph anyone on school grounds using a mobile phone or smartwatch

• If a pupil is found to be using a mobile phone or smartwatch on school premises, the device will be confiscated and handed to the office team who will record the name of the pupil and attach it to the phone.  The device  will be securely stored by the school office and must be collected by a parent or carer.  

• If a pupil is found taking photographs or video footage with a mobile phone or smartwatch of either other pupils or teachers, this will be regarded as a serious offence and disciplinary action will be taken in line with our Behaviour Policy.

• Should a pupil in Year 5 or 6 be found to be using a mobile phone in school, we reserve the right to withdraw the privilege and they will no longer be allowed to bring a phone into school.  

• The school accepts no liability for the loss or damage to mobile phones or smartwatches which are brought into school.  For their personal safety, children are encouraged to keep their devices out of sight when walking to and from school.

• Parents are notified that appropriate action will be taken against children in breach of the acceptable use guidelines following the school’s behaviour policy.  In the case of repeated misuse, the mobile phone or smartwatch will only be returned to a parent/carer who will be required to visit the school by appointment to collect the device and discuss matters further.

• Serious and significant misuse of a mobile phone or smartwatch, such as acts of harassment causing significant alarm or distress to other pupils or members of staf,f may incur further sanctions, up to and including exclusion from school.  In some instances, an offence may have to be reported to Birmingham Children’s  Advice and Support Service (CASS) via Request for Support

• The school will always consider the impact on the victim when determining sanctions

• Staff under the direction of the Principal have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the pupil is in possession of a prohibited item as set out in legislation7 or any item identified in the school rules as an item that may be searched for’. DFE 2024

Examples of mobile ‘phone or smartwatch misuse:

• Online bullying by text, message, image, video or email

• Taking and sharing inappropriate images, videos, and audio recordings

• Access to inappropriate websites, bypassing the school filtering and monitoring systems

• General disruption to learning caused by pupils accessing devices in lessons

• Using a mobile phone or smartwatch to make and share disrespectful comments, misrepresentations of events or defamatory remarks about teachers or other pupils

• Pupils emailing, messaging, texting or calling parents immediately following an incident so that the ability of staff to deal with an incident is compromised

• Pupils posting material on social network sites with no thought to the risks to their personal reputation, safety and sometimes with the deliberate intention of causing harm to others

• The deliberate engineering of situations where people’s reactions are filmed or photographed in order to humiliate, embarrass and intimidate by publishing to a wider audience via social media

• Publishing photographs of vulnerable pupils, including those on a child protection plan, where this may put them at additional risk

• The use of a mobile phone or smartwatch for ‘sexting’ (the deliberate taking and sending of provocative images or text messages).

Examining content on mobile phones

• If images of other pupils or teachers have been taken on the school premises, then a minimum of three DSLs will meet to triage the appropriate next steps.

• The mobile phone or smartwatch will not be returned to the pupil until the images have been removed by the pupil in the presence of the safeguarding team, in line with the guidance below.

• In such instances, parents will be called to inform them of the incident. Please see more guidance on sexting in our safeguarding policy.

• The Education Act 2011 gives school staff the right to seize and look through electronic devices if it is deemed that there is a good reason to do so.  Content will only be deleted by a member of this team as part of a joint safeguarding team decision.

• If staff suspect images or video on a child’s mobile phone or smartwatch may be illegal,e.g. sexual acts or nudity of a person under 18 years of age, then staff should ensure they do not view or distribute the content. In such instances, an urgent Request for Support should be submitted to Birmingham’s Children Advice and Support Service (CASS), which will conduct an Emergency Strategy Meeting.

Staff

• The school recognises that staff will bring their mobile phones and smartwatches to work and that they will be used within the parameters of this policy.

• Mobile phones should be turned to silent and left in a safe place during lesson times. Smartwatches should be turned to silent with notifications disabled to ensure no disruption to learning.

•  The school cannot take responsibility for items that are lost or stolen.  

• Staff should never contact pupils or parents from their personal mobile phone number or give their mobile phone number to pupils or parents.

• If a member of staff needs to make telephone contact with a pupil or parent, they should use the school telephone in the office.  

• Mobile phones must not be used during a lesson, in corridors, playgrounds or any space with children present. Smartwatches must only be used during these times for checking the time.

• Occasionally, staff may be waiting for an urgent phone call. In such cases, staff should seek permission from a member of the senior leadership team and then make arrangements to take the call in private with their year group team so learning is not interrupted.

• Staff should never send to, or accept from, colleagues or pupils, messages, emails, images or videos that could be viewed as inappropriate.  About camera phones, staff should never use their mobile phone to photograph a pupil(s) or allow themselves to be photographed by pupils.

• Senior Leadership, the School Business Manager, the BSS Team or key identified staff are authorised to use their mobile phones for urgent messages that affect the efficient running of the school or the safety of pupils and staff.

Trips and Visits

• Teachers may use their mobile phones as a means of communication to ensure the safety of pupils.  However, they must be mindful of this policy and use their phones within the guidelines above and only contact school staff or emergency services from their personal device.

Parents and Carers

• While we would prefer parents and carers not to use their mobile phones while on the school site, we recognise that this would be impossible to regulate and that many parents see their phones as an essential means of communication. We therefore ask that parents’ usage of mobile phones, whilst on the school site, is courteous and appropriate to the school environment.  

• Mobile phones should never be used in the school building. Should a parent need to take a call during a school event they must be escorted by a member of staff to a space without children. In the first instance, parents or carers will be asked to end the call.

• For special events, such as Sports Day, assemblies and productions, parents are asked to take photos of their child only after the performance.  

• The school takes photos and videos of special events, which are shared on our Facebook and Twitter feeds (unless parents have told us this is not allowed for their children).

•  At no time are mobile phones allowed in Reception or Nursery or Playcare.