30.1.2012
NOTICE TO PARENTS/CARERS REGARDING SCHOOL DISCIPLINE & BEHAVIOUR
Dear Parents/Carers,
I feel that I must write to you all again regarding the issue of mobile phones in school.
As a school, under our Statutory Powers as set out in the Education Act 1996, Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the New Education Act, we have the rights to decide what constitutes a banned item within school.
Mobile phones are a possible distraction during teaching time as they may ring and disturb the learning of the whole class. They are also a possible safeguarding issue as phones have been used by children in other schools to facilitate cyber bullying and the taking of inappropriate, sexual, images. Mobile phones are also a costly item and therefore temptations for thieves or for possible damage, both of which the school would not be able to take responsibility for. A parent/carer may think that a mobile phone gives them access to their child, however, if a parent/carer needs to speak to a child this should be directed through the school office. It is therefore this schools stated policy that there is no legitimate reason for a child to require a mobile phone in school and a mobile phone constitutes one of our banned items.
Schools’ general power to discipline, as set out in Section 91 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, enables a member of staff / school to confiscate, retain or dispose of a pupil’s property as a disciplinary penalty.
At Peterhouse we have made it clear that any mobile phone found on the school premises with a child will, under these regulations, be confiscated and returned after a fixed period of up to 1 week. The phone will only be returned upon collection by a parent.
Confiscated items are switched off and stored in the school safe.
As headteacher I will, of course, use my discretion in these matters and should it be a first time or a genuine accident then it is likely the phone will be returned to the parent/carer in the evening.
Regards,
Martin Scott
Headteacher
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comment will be published as soon as it has been moderated against our guidelines. Comments will not be published if they contain information that identifies pupils in pictures, if they are abusive or inflammatory, or if the are anonymous.