We call on Government to urgently revise the mobile phone in schools guidance

Background

We believe schools cannot meet statutory safeguarding duties under ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ while allowing students to carry smartphones. Smartphones pose risks including distraction, sharing harmful content, cyberbullying, and non-consensual photos and recording of students and staff.

Additional details

We ask for a clear distinction between non-internet mobile phones and smartphones - with reference to smartphones the removal of the option d ‘never used, seen or heard’ as statutory guidance, unless a medical need. We ask that schools list smartphones as a prohibited item and allow only basic non-internet phones for parent contact where necessary. We believe the current guidance is unenforceable, compromises student safety and undermines a schools’ ability to uphold their legal duties.

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