Mobile Phone Update March 2019

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Mobile Phone Update March 2019

Dear Parents/Carers,

I wrote to you back in January to outline the planned trial of changes to the use of mobile phones in school for our students and also expressed that this trial would be reviewed in the near future.

The trial allowed students to bring in their mobile phones in to the school building should they wish to, as well as the options of keeping them securely in their locker or placed on the provided charging trolley should they prefer.  However, responsible and considerate phone use would become the most important focus for us all. This is in keeping with our academy values of ‘Safe, Ready, Respectful’.

I am pleased to inform students and parents/carers that the trial has been reviewed and the practice of allowing students to keep their phones with them will be extended.

We do now expect greater personal responsibility and readiness from our students however now to manage their phones without distraction to learning or disruption to teaching.

The following updated expectations have been discussed and agreed:

  • Students WILL BE required to place their phone in silent mode or in aircraft mode during lessons and tutor time. Phones should then be placed safely away and not used during lessons.
  • Listening to music during the lesson WILL NOT be allowed with mobile phones unless an adult has permitted this.
  • Students may use their mobile phone at social times such as break or lunch time

 

Whilst I fully anticipate that students will be respectful and fully engage with their lessons, if they choose not to follow the expectation then there will be a clear process for escalated sanctions as follows:

  1. Student given polite reminder
  2. A verbal warning given and the opportunity to make better decision
  3. A Yellow Card. This is the final warning and the 3rd opportunity to make better decision
  4. A Red Card. This will result in the removal from lesson to Internal Inclusion for a set period of time

At The Edge Academy, one of our aims is to inspire success and confidence in each student and as such we trust our young people to be responsible in their mobile phone use.

Yours faithfully,

 

Adam Smith

Vice Principal