Dear Parent/Carer,

We are writing to all parents with regards to changes that we are making to our mobile phone policy.  As you will be aware, there has been a nationwide debate with regards to the potential damage that phones can cause our children.

Mobile phones now include many additional functions such as an integrated camera, video recording capability, instant messaging, mobile office applications and mobile access to the internet. These allow immediate access to email, searching for information on the internet and other functions such as access to social networking sites e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and WhatsApp. These functions can pose a risk to the maintenance of good discipline, the focus on learning and, crucially, the effective safeguarding of students in schools. This includes the risk of sophisticated bullying via social media platforms. In some cases, mobile phone use within secondary school environments has created serious child protection concerns. Bullying, intimidation and harassment are not new in society; however, bullying using a mobile phone represents a significant challenge for schools to manage.

The DfE has issued guidance for schools prohibiting the use of mobile phones throughout the school day. From 1^st September 2025, mobile phones and electronic devices are banned from use on the school site. At Jesmond Park Academy the ‘boundary line’ is as soon as children pass through their entrance door (Y7, 8, 9) or school gate (Y10, 11).

Years 7 -11

Any phone that is brought on site must be switched off and in a school bag when students are on the school grounds. Phones must not be visible at any point. Students should not need to use a mobile phone whilst on school premises. In exceptional circumstances if a student should need to make a phone call within the school grounds, they can either:

• ask a member of staff if they can use the school phone network

• report to their year office and ask if they can switch their mobile phone on to make the call.

DFE Guidance is clear that schools should have a ‘never used, seen or heard’ approach to mobile phones and that the consequence for breaking this expectation is at the discretion of the school but that it should be “sufficient to act as an effective deterrent”.

At Jesmond Park Academy, any student seen with a phone not in their bag but not using it, for example in a pocket will be given a P (phone) planner comment and instructed to turn it off and put it in their bag. This is in the initial implementation period only up until half term.

Any phone seen on site will be confiscated. These are then placed in the school safe in student reception. If parents wish to reclaim confiscated phones before the end of the week, they may do so between 2:40pm and 3:45pm, Monday to Thursday, or 2:40pm and 3:15pm on Fridays. Phones can be collected from student reception. Only parents listed on SIMS as contacts will be able to reclaim phones and ID must be presented. Students may reclaim their own phones from student reception at 2:40pm on the Friday of each week, without the need for parents to come in. If a phone is confiscated on a Friday, it will be kept until the following Monday at 2:40pm.

(Please note sanctions for the use of mobile phones on the school site, might be subject to change).

Sixth Form

Sixth Form pupils are allowed access to their mobile phones during the school day, to reflect their increased independence and responsibility, but must not compromise our policy on the use of mobile phones for other pupils. Therefore, they are only permitted to use their mobile phones out of sight of younger pupils in the sixth form common room area. Misuse of mobile phones by pupils in the sixth form will lead to sanctions according to our behaviour policy.

If a pupil is in breach of this policy, the following steps will be taken:

If a sixth form student is seen using their phone outside of the sixth form area these will be confiscated. Confiscated phones will be placed in the school safe in student reception. If parents (or students over 18) wish to reclaim confiscated phones before the end of the week, they may do so between 2:40pm and 3:45pm, Monday to Thursday, or 2:40pm and 3:15pm on Fridays. Phones can be collected from student reception. Only parents listed on SIMS as contacts or students over 18 years will be able to reclaim phones and ID must be presented. All students may reclaim their own phones from student reception at 2:40pm on the Friday of each week, without the need for parents to come in.  If a phone is confiscated on a Friday, it will be kept until the following Monday at 2:40pm.

We recognise that the presence of a phone can provide reassurance for a parent / carer on the journey to or from school. For this reason, students will receive regular reminders about the importance of compliance with this policy within school and we would ask you to remind your child of this at home. If a child is concerned about getting home on the day the phone is confiscated, they will be able to use school phone lines, via Student Reception or a pastoral office, to contact home.

The change will take place from 1^st September 2025.

Many thanks for your continued support.

Yours faithfully,

DAVE MERRIFIELD

HEAD OF SCHOOL