Phones & Uniform

Friday 2nd May 2025

Dear Parents and Pupils,

We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to inform you about an important change in our school policy regarding the use of mobile phones.  This year we reviewed our mobile phone policy to allow pupils to use their phone during the school day. The rationale behind this was that pupils would place their phone in a mobile phone holder at the front of the room during the lesson. This would then allow pupils to concentrate on their learning without the distraction of their phone. Unfortunately, this has not worked and we are seeing an increased use of phones which is having a detrimental impact on pupils’ learning; we have also had an increase in phone related incidents in the past few months. This has caused us to review and update our mobile phone policy so that pupils will no longer be permitted to use their phones in school.

Why are we making this change?

Recent studies have shown that smartphones can have a significant negative impact on students' mental health, academic performance, and overall well-being. Here are some key findings:

1. Mental Health: Excessive smartphone use has been linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues among teenagers. Research indicates that the younger a child receives a smartphone, the more likely they are to experience these problems later in life.

2. Safeguarding Risks: Smartphones expose children to various online dangers, including violent and sexual content, cyberbullying, and grooming by predators. A significant percentage of teens have reported encountering harmful content online.

3. Academic Performance: Schools that have restricted smartphone use have seen improvements in exam results and overall academic achievement. Smartphones are designed to distract, and their presence in the classroom can hinder learning and cognitive development.

What does this mean for our school?

Starting from Tuesday 6th May mobile phones will not be allowed to be used during school hours. We understand that this is a significant change, and we want to ensure that both parents and pupils are fully informed and prepared. Here are the key points of our new policy:

• Restricted Use: Students are not permitted to use mobile phones during school hours. If a student needs to contact their parents, they can do so through the school office.

• Alternative Communication: We encourage the use of simple 'brick phones' for essential communication needs. These phones do not have internet access or social media capabilities, reducing the risks associated with smartphone use.

How can parents help?

We ask for your support in enforcing this policy and helping your child understand the reasons behind it. Here are some ways you can assist:

• Discuss the Change: Talk to your child about the reasons for the new policy and the benefits of reducing smartphone use.

• Provide Alternatives: Consider providing your child with a simple 'brick phone' for essential communication.

• Stay Informed: Join our efforts to promote a smartphone-free childhood by staying informed about the latest research.

• Support us: Do not contact your child during the day on the phone; contact the office if there is an urgent message that needs to be sent to your child.

We believe that this change will have a positive impact on our students' well-being and academic success.

Uniform

A lot of skirts are being made shorter by pupils rolling them up. Please encourage your child not to roll up their skirt. If your child’s skirt has gotten shorter, and you would prefer not to buy a new one until September, we would encourage them to continue wearing black tights. We do have some skirts in our uniform store that are ‘free to good homes’ – simply contact the school office or your child’s form teacher. All students are permitted to wear school uniform trousers. A reminder too that pupils must wear either black tights or grey knee-length socks with their skirt– ankle socks are not allowed.

If you do have any uniform that is too small and still in good condition, we would really appreciate you leaving it into the school office so we can make these items available to be recycled.

School Shoes

The only footwear that is allowed in school is to be plain black shoes/trainers, with no flashes of colour. I would hope that we do not need to go down the path of school shoes just because pupils are not wearing plain black shoes/ trainers.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we work together to create a healthier and more focused learning environment.

Angela Passmore