Government mobile phone crackdown 'reinforces expectations' at Worthing school

Mobile phones are set to be prohibited in schools across England as part of the government’s plan to minimise disruption and improve behaviour in classrooms.

New guidance issued today backs head teachers in prohibiting the use of mobile phones throughout the school day, including at break times.

Mrs Keegan spoke to the Worthing Herald during her visit to the town’s high school this morning.

The MP for Chichester said the new guidance was brought in to ‘empower headteachers and make sure we reset the social norm’.

She added: “We are taking mobile phones out of our schools from the moment the children enter the school, to the moment they leave.

"This will all across the country and will hopefully help children to focus on their learning, not to be distracted in class and also improve behaviour.

"It gives them vital time in break time to create friendships and relationships that will see them through life.”

Mrs Keegan said Worthing High School has had this policy in place for eight years.

"All the children here said they would not change it and it is really beneficial to them,” she said.

"That’s largely because they really get to know people, build their friendship network in school and that sees them outside of school and through the weekend as well."

Pan Panayiotou, executive headteacher of Worthing High School and CEO of South Downs Education Trust, said the education secretary spent a ‘considerable amount of time’ visiting classes and talking to students about their ‘experiences and their understanding’ of the use of mobile phones in school.

He added: “We were delighted to host the Rt Hon Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education, at Worthing High School today, on the day that the DfE guidance for the use of mobile phones in schools was released.

“All the students could talk confidently of the zero tolerance towards mobile phones and the importance of not having unnecessary social media distractions that impact their learning.

"As a DfE Lead Behaviour Hub School our policies regarding the use of mobile phones in schools have been in place for a number of years, and this guidance reinforces the expectations we already have in place now at Worthing High School.

"What the DfE guidance does do, is provide clarity to other schools and Headteachers where there may be a different approach to use of mobile phones in their schools, to hopefully provide a more consistent and coherent approach.”

Adrian Cook, head of school at Worthing High School, said Mrs Keegan was ‘extremely complimentary’ towards the ‘established culture, ethos and systems’ in place, as well as the students she interacted with.

He added: “We were delighted to have been chosen as an exemplary school with embedded systems and processes that leads to such positive behaviour, standards and ethos.”

The Department for Education said the new guidance would ensure a consistent approach across all schools.

A spokesperson said: “By the age of 12, 97 per cent of children have their own mobile phone, according to Ofcom. Using mobile phones in schools can lead to online bullying, distraction and classroom disruption which, in turn, can lead to lost learning time.

“Last year, Unesco called for smartphones to be banned from schools as evidence showed it was linked to reduced educational performance and that excessive screen time had a negative impact on children’s wellbeing.

“Schools will be supported to prohibit mobile phone use with examples of different approaches including banning phones from the school premises, handing in phones on arrival at school, and keeping phones securely locked away at school.”