Headteacher Mr P Earnshaw BA (Hons), MA

[email protected] Tel: 01425 273381 www.highcliffeschool.com Fax: 01425 271405

May 2016

Dear Parents/Carers and Students,

Highcliffe School is currently undertaking a review of its policy regarding mobile phones. At present, students in years 7-11 are allowed to bring their phones in to school under the following conditions:

 Mobile phones to be kept switched off and placed in a bag or locker except at break and lunchtime.  Students should not be seen using, or in possession of, a mobile phone when moving between lessons.  Mobile phones are not to be used in lessons, as they are all meant to be switched off and in a bag or locker.  Students are not to use their phones to film themselves or each other.  The only photographs allowed to be taken are those in an educational context with a teacher’s permission.  Students are not to misuse social media on their phone from school or about school.  Students are not to phone or message their parents and parents are not to phone or message their children during the hours 8.30am to 3.05pm – if messages need to be passed on, the school can do this for you.  All mobile phones are brought into school at the student’s own risk.

Not all schools have such a generous policy regarding mobile phones and there are clear educational arguments for them not to be used in schools. Indeed, a recent study carried out by the LSE Centre of Economic Performance (CEP paper 1350, May 2015) concluded that after schools banned mobile phones, the test scores of students aged 16 improved by 6.4%, which was said to be the equivalent of 5 extra days of school a year.

In return for allowing students to use their phones our policy asks them to respect certain boundaries which minimise the risk of misuse, abuse or disruption. Our policy is made clear to the students and we do a lot of work through our year groups and in IT lessons to promote appropriate behaviour with phones, social media and so on. Students cannot fail to be aware of school expectations and why they exist, nor of the potential consequences of misuse in terms of school sanctions, emotional harm, disruption, or of leaving an unpleasant ‘online footprint’ in later life.

Instances of students trying to use their phones in class have generally decreased. However, as the year has progressed there have been numerous instances of other key aspects of the school policy not being followed.

Parkside, , Christchurch, , BH23 4QD

Deputy Headteacher Deputy Headteacher Mr N Campbell BA (Hons) Mr N O’Connor BSc (Hons)

Registered in England and Wales Number: 07631213

Instances of students using their phones to message or call each other or their parents outside lesson time have increased. This can cause problems for pastoral staff or the medical office, who need to be fully informed before contacting parents to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. There has also been an increase in students photographing or filming other students, quite often without their permission. Such images are then sometimes posted online, causing further problems. Generally, phones are being used more between lessons and instances of students ignoring school expectations about keeping their phones switched off and in a bag or locker have increased.

My pastoral colleagues and I have become sufficiently concerned about the negative consequences experienced by students or staff when students misuse their phone that we are now considering bringing the school into line with many English schools, by banning their use in school altogether for years 7 to 11 from September 2016. In the event we do this, during the school day any mobile phones brought into school will need to be switched off and stored safely. If parents need to contact their children, or vice versa, this should be done via the School Office, which is no different from the current expectation.

Before deciding whether to change the policy, as a school we would like to give students in years 7 to 10 a fresh opportunity to demonstrate they can all be trusted to adhere to the expectations about mobile phones without constant adult supervision – i.e. that they can be trusted to show self-restraint and show a clear understanding of safe and respectful behaviour regarding these devices with other students and staff.

Therefore this letter is timed to coincide with reminders being given to students in tutor time about school expectations on mobile phones and why we have these rules – which are primarily designed to protect them from harm and maintain a respectful, safe and orderly community.

During June we will monitor how far students have responded to this reminder and whether instances of misuse stop.

Parents are welcome to contact the school by email to share their thoughts about the mobile phone policy at Highcliffe School, before we decide whether to retain the current policy or move to a different approach. The current policy can be found under the ‘Information’ section of the school website. Please use the address [email protected] and mark your subject as ‘Mobile Phone Policy Comments.’

In the light of how students respond and any feedback from parents the school will decide at the end of June whether to maintain the current policy or move to a ban on the use of mobile phones on school grounds by year 7 to 11 students and let you know the outcome.

Yours sincerely

Mark Yapp Assistant Headteacher Heads of Achievement and Pastoral Leads

Highcliffe School, Parkside, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 4QD

Registered in England and Wales Number: 07631213