Principles
This policy is to provide guidelines and clarification of procedures based on our approach to implement a phone-free environment at Bishop Fox’s School.
Our school is committed to increasing focus and academic performance, improving social interaction and engagement, and reducing the pressure relating to social media and its potential damaging effects. This policy is rooted in our school values and aims to create a school environment which supports students to achieve their best without distraction and to benefit their mental health and welfare. The decision for this is rooted in a growing body of research about the impact of smart phones on young people.
All students of Bishop Fox’s School are expected to conform to this policy.
Overview
- Phones are not to be accessed by students during the school day.
- Students have two options relating to this access:
- Leave their phone at home
- Purchase a pouch through Scopay to store their phone and any other smart devices such as watches or earbuds securely during the school day.
- Locking/unlocking stations will be provided at the front of school for students to access upon entry and exit.
- There will also be a locking/unlocking station in reception for students who arrive or leave outside of normal school hours.
- All parents/ guardians must complete an online form which serves as a home-school agreement based on the policy requirements.
- Students who have a medical need which requires access to their phone during the day to monitor their condition, will have a medical pouch. This allows access to Bluetooth and is closed using Velcro only. This information will be collected via the online form mentioned above.
- Compliance checks will be carried out daily, alongside unannounced spot checks.
- If students do not have a phone, they must carry an exemption card to provide during phone checks.
- Smart watches and earbuds must also be placed in the pouch.
- It is the student’s responsibility to bring their pouch with them to school every day and keep it in good working order.
- There will be sanctions in place for any student who does not follow the policy (see sanctions section).
- If a student accidentally breaks their pouch, they need to tell their form tutor immediately.
- Parents/guardians who need to contact their child urgently should call the main school office on 01823 289211 or via email at office@bishopfoxs.co.uk
The Daily Process
Students must bring their pouch or exemption card to school with them each day.
As students arrive to school they will:
- Open their pouch by tapping against the unlocking station.
- Turn their mobile phone off and place it into their Yondr Pouch, alongside any earbuds and smart watch.
- Lock their Yondr pouch before showing it to a member of school staff on entrance to the school buildings.
During registration
- Students will place the pouch, exemption card or phone receipt card on their desk for their tutor to check. Tutors will circulate the classroom and ensure all Yondr pouches are locked.
At the end of the day students will:
- Open their pouch using one of the unlocking stations.
- Remove their phone and any other smart devices.
- Close their pouch (This is important to protect the pin from bending in their bag).
- Keep their pouch in their school bag overnight, ready for use the next day.
If a student arrives late, they must lock their phone into their Yondr Pouch in the school office before going to the hub to sign in. Staff will check that the pouch is locked.
If a student is leaving school early, they can unlock their pouch in reception when they exit.
Lost pouches, forgotten pouches or accidental damage
On the very rare occasion that a student forgets their pouch, their phone will be handed in and placed into the school safe. They will be issued with a phone receipt card to show during routine checks.
If their pouch is forgotten and their phone is not handed in, this will result in a sanction.
Regular failure to bring their pouch to school will result in a sanction as part of our graduated response and if this persists it will be considered lost. Parents/guardians will be notified, and a replacement pouch will need to be bought. See below for further sanctions.
If a pouch is damaged accidentally, their phone will need to be handed in and placed into the safe until it is collected at the end of the day. They will be issued with a phone receipt card to show during routine checks. A new pouch would need to be purchased by parents/guardians through Scopay, or parents/guardians must confirm that their child’s phone and other devices will be left at home, and an exemption card will be issued.
Regular checking routines
Compliance with this policy is the key to the success. Regular checks are very important. These will be carried out by form tutors, heads of year, pastoral lead officers and members of SLT. Students will be regularly reminded of the reasons for the policy through assemblies. Random spot checks will be carried out throughout the year. School staff have the right to ask for pouches to be opened at any time to check compliance.
Exceptional Use
There may be exceptional circumstances where students are allowed to use their phone under the supervision of a member of staff. Staff are responsible for checking phones are locked securely back in pouches when no longer required.
Any students who abuse this privilege will have the right to access their technology in these lessons removed.
Where phone cameras are used, students who carry an exemption card may be provided with a camera to facilitate the activity and moving forward, the school will be updating our cameras and iPads for student use in lessons.
During school trips, the trip leader will decide on the appropriate use of pouches. Mobile locking/unlocking stations are available for use where needed.
Sanctions
Our intention is to create a phone-free environment. Student’s phones must be in a pouch if they do not have an exemption card or a phone receipt card. If students are found to have phones in school, they will be confiscated.
Pouches will be checked to make sure they have not been damaged. Any attempt to open or affect the operation of the pouch will be seen as a contravention of the policy.
Parents/guardians have agreed to these sanctions via the home-school phone agreement. The sanctions below relate to mobile phones and other smart devices.
| First offence | Repeated offence | |
| Student is unable to show their locked pouch, an exemption card or a phone receipt card when asked | Red Card Detention | Red Card Detention Head of Year intervention |
| Phone in pouch but not locked | Red Card Detention Phone confiscation – parents/guardians to collect the phone from the office. . | Internal suspension to 1-day Fixed Term Suspension Phone confiscation – parents/guardians to collect the phone from the office. |
| Phone in school (Not in pouch and not handed in) | After School Detention Phone confiscation – student to collect from the office at the end of the day. | Internal suspension to 1-day Fixed Term Suspension Phone confiscation – parents/guardians to collect the phone from the office. |
| Attempting to open pouch during school day | Red Card Detention Phone confiscation – student to collect from the office at the end of the day. | After School Detention Head of Year intervention Phone confiscation – parents/guardians to collect the phone from the office. |
| Deliberate damage to pouch | Red Card Detention Phone confiscation – student to collect from the office at the end of the day. | After School Detention Head of Year intervention Phone confiscation – parents/guardians to collect the phone from the office. |
| Deliberate damage to pouch (where the pouch is no longer operational) | After School Detention Phone confiscation – student to collect from the office at the end of the day. Parents/guardians purchase a new pouch or sign an agreement that the student will not bring phone to school | Internal to 1-day FTS Phone confiscation – parents/guardians to collect the phone from the office. Parents/guardians purchase a new pouch or sign an agreement that the student will not bring phone to school |
| Refusal to hand over phone for confiscation | Fixed Term Suspension | Fixed Term Suspension |
Any deliberate attempt by students to undermine this policy may result in further sanctions
Please note that this may be subject to change as procedures are reviewed.
If you would like to apply for financial support for the Yondr pouch, please click here to fill in the form and return to office@bishopfoxs.co.uk