mobile phones | Schools Week

de Souza wants to check how many schools ban phones

Children’s commissioner tells MPs she’d like to use her statutory powers to get clear picture of practice in schools

DfE behaviour consultation seeks views on mobile phone bans

Schools will be asked for information about their behaviour strategies, their use of so-called “managed moves”, and how they deal with mobile phones as part of a six-week consultation launching today. This is an operational decision for schools, not something that can be micromanaged from Westminster The call for evidence was pledged by education secretary […]

Mixed signals: evidence for mobile phone bans contested

Evidence cited by Nick Gibb to support mobile phone bans in schools is from an eight-year-old study that some academics have criticised for showing “insignificant” impact on test scores. The schools minister told MPs this week “there is evidence that those schools that do restrict the use of smartphones in schools…are seeing higher test scores […]

Williamson plans behaviour survey and urges ‘sensible debate’ over exclusions

Schools will take part in a new survey on student behaviour every term, the education secretary has announced. Gavin Williamson outlined the proposals as part of a wider drive for “strong behaviour and discipline policy,” including the behaviour hubs project and a crackdown on mobile phone use in schools. The minister also called for “proper […]

Revealed: First 22 lead schools for DfE’s £10m ‘behaviour hubs’ project

The government has revealed the first 22 schools which will head up its £10 million behaviour hubs initiative. Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, has also pledged to consult on “how we can help heads remove phones from the school day”. The behaviour hubs project, led by government behaviour tsar Tom Bennett, aims to support 500 […]

Pupils face £2 ‘fines’ to get their phones back

A school has been accused of holding pupils’ mobile phones to “ransom” after charging parents £2 to return confiscated devices. South Wigston high school in Leicester bans mobile phones as it says the devices are a major tool for bullying and a distraction to learning. However, its electronic device policy says that a £2 contribution […]