Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan

[KJCross1983]

The Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, has made a statement that all mobile phones are banned from schools.

The Conservative Party has a new campaign out, Green is the new Orange. Most children that travel to school on the South Coast have the new QR tickets on their mobile phones. If Gillian Keegan is banning mobile phones from schools, how can we move forward with Green tickets?

 

[sportzbar]

It's a broad statement but generally it means that children will be expected to put phones in lockers or turned off during lessons. Those who transgress will have to pick them up from a central point at the end of the school day. But I'm sure there will be over zealous headteachers out there who will over step the mark and not allow them on school property all.....

 

[KJCross1983]

It's a broad statement but generally it means that children will be expected to put phones in lockers or turned off during lessons. Those who transgress will have to pick them up from a central point at the end of the school day. But I'm sure there will be over zealous headteachers out there who will over step the mark and not allow them on school property all.....

I agree. My sons school get made to turn their phones off as soon as they get in the school grounds, untill the final bell at the end off the day.

 

[PGAT]

My school was very strict about this from day one and only 6th form students were allowed to use phones

 

[uglymonkey]

You can use mobiles to get the class learning as well and heaven forbid collaborating, it's not all black and white, still good headline grabbing stuff to appeal to the Daily Mail readers, whose children are probabily in their 30's by now.

 

[alex397]

Ban something from teenagers… well that’s not going to work is it?

Rather than banning it, children need to be taught how to use them, and try to use them as a positive tool. If a phone is being used inappropriately, then a school can use its own discretion to restrict their useage or confiscate from individuals. Schools should certainly be tough on inappropriate use though, but each school will have its own way of dealing with it.

Widespread bans don’t actually deal with the issues, and are just used by politicians to get positive headlines in government-friendly newspapers.

 

[Yew]

Rather than banning it, children need to be taught how to use them, and try to use them as a positive tool. If a phone is being used inappropriately, then a school can use its own discretion to restrict their useage or confiscate from individuals. Schools should certainly be tough on inappropriate use though, but each school will have its own way of dealing with it.

That doesn't fit nicely into a three word slogan though.

 

[dangie]

…..But I'm sure there will be over zealous headteachers out there who will over step the mark and not allow them on school property all.....

There’s also parents who insist their offspring have their mobile phone with them at all times.

Parents are the bane of many teachers.

 

[AlterEgo]

Many schools already make the students leave their phones in lockers during the school day so they aren’t distracted during lessons. It’s not a controversial policy even amongst most parents.

 

[Lost property]

There’s also parents who insist their offspring have their mobile phone with them at all times.

Parents are the bane of many teachers.

Indeed. There was a case in a quaint rural and incestuous idyll I knew quite well where the mother of one pupil objected very strongly to the headmasters very inconsiderate expectation her darling daughter should not use her phone in class.

Mummy was a local Tory councillor and removed her daughter from the school and herself from the local party.

Mummy subsequently faded into obscurity.

 

[Snow1964]

There’s also parents who insist their offspring have their mobile phone with them at all times.

Parents are the bane of many teachers.

The same parents who didn't have mobile phones at school, but clearly survived.

My daughters school had policy banning them in the school, had to be off, or in lockers or in bottom of bag, if got caught using one got taken off you and had to collect end of day, if happened second time weren't allowed to collect it, parent had to come in to collect so they could remind parents of their responsibilities.

Worked fine even though some children lived hour away.

 

[SuspectUsual]

This is the party of “small” government, right?

And her quoted data is designed to overstate the problem. “40% of 14 year olds report having lessons disrupted by mobile phones” really means 60% have never had so much as one minute of one lesson disrupted by a mobile phone

But still, at least the Tories are going after a target that can’t vote this time

 

[ainsworth74]

Many schools already make the students leave their phones in lockers during the school day so they aren’t distracted during lessons. It’s not a controversial policy even amongst most parents.

Indeed, though I question whether that it's something that should be taking up the time of Central Government? Seems a little small fry for the Education Secretary and the Department for Education to be weighing in on and, presumably, making laws about (as they say they're going to ban it). I suppose some guidance wouldn't be necessarily be an issue, after all they give guidance on all sorts of things, but it does feel like something that should be up to each school/academy trust depending on their own context and issues.

 

[DarloRich]

Another confected story to fire up the hard of thinking who have been told by the Daily Mail & GBbeebeies that there is an issue with mobile phones in schools.

This is something schools can & do deal with by themselves. They don't need government support or guidance. What they DO need government support with is making sure the roof wont collapse on the kids and that they have enough books to teach the syllabus and teachers to lead lessons.

In many place the parents might like some help with uniform and shoe costs!

FFS. These are NOT serious people.

 

[Purple Train]

All stories about the Education Secretary do is make me wonder what she was like at school - did she perpetually ask the teachers for congratulation on a "[expletive deleted] good job"? Given this latest story, I wonder whether she marched around the classroom as some sort of "etiquette police", trying to gain favour with the bullies while picking on the rank-and-file in the classroom?

Mobile phone use in the classroom is approximately 19th on the list of distractions in the classroom. An official ban won't solve anything, except possibly for making the Tories more unpopular in 2029.

In many place the parents might like some help with uniform and shoe costs!

Shhhh. Do not mention the elephant, it must remain swept under the carpet...

I was, and still am, an absolute nightmare to buy clothes for. (Note to self: maybe it would help if you stopped continually mislaying them also...) School uniform was frequently a cause of torn-out hair. Especially when I grew. Growing is not something that the system accounts for very well, which is a shortcoming, as children are decidedly good at it.

 

[SuspectUsual]

And so it now emerges that any ban wouldn't be statutory anyway, but the threat of legislation remains......

 

[AlterEgo]

Indeed, though I question whether that it's something that should be taking up the time of Central Government? Seems a little small fry for the Education Secretary and the Department for Education to be weighing in on and, presumably, making laws about (as they say they're going to ban it). I suppose some guidance wouldn't be necessarily be an issue, after all they give guidance on all sorts of things, but it does feel like something that should be up to each school/academy trust depending on their own context and issues.

It's not a SoS announcement, I agree, but it's conference season and these feckless losers are so desperate. They are so done.

 

[ainsworth74]

They are so done.

We can only hope!

 

[PTR 444]

I've never understood the obsession with banning mobile phones from schools. Yes they can be distracting and obviously shouldn't be used all the time, but we need to be embracing reality rather than hiding from it. Smartphones are now a part of everyday life and when used responsibly can improve and enhance people's lives. I'll quote my opening post from another thread here:

Most schools take a very authoritarian approach to phone use, which is understandable from the context of minimising disruption, however this tends to teach kids that “phones are bad” in the same manner as drugs and alcohol and ignores the fact that smartphones are now an integral part of society and have potential to be used as a tool to teach safe and productive use of technology. Integrating smartphone use into everyday learning would teach kids many digital skills essential for the world of work, manage boundaries around screen time and allow them to engage with a more personalised curriculum tailored to their ambitions. It would also save schools lots of money on providing desktop computers for every pupil and replacing out of date textbooks which could be digitised and updated almost instantly on smart devices. There is the concern that this will glue kids to their phones even more, but I believe that if they are used regularly for learning, pupils will begin to associate these devices with work rather than fun, and hence use them much less in their spare time as they seek a change of activity.

Radical ideas to revolutionise the UK's education system

Note: The below is primarily focused on England’s education system, although any ideas for other nations are also welcome here. Following on from the “Radical ideas to revolutionise the NHS” thread, I thought I’d do something similar in relation to the nation’s education system. While most...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[birchesgreen]

I've never understood the obsession with banning mobile phones from schools.

Its just pandering to voters who left school before mobile phones were an issue (or even invented) and also plays into the inter-generational war the Tories are obsessed with (quite why i don't know, yes young people don't vote for them on the whole but putting the boot in over and over again isn't exactly going to endear you to them when they get older).

 

[renegademaster]

I've never understood the obsession with banning mobile phones from schools. Yes they can be distracting and obviously shouldn't be used all the time, but we need to be embracing reality rather than hiding from it. Smartphones are now a part of everyday life and when used responsibly can improve and enhance people's lives. I'll quote my opening post from another thread here:

Radical ideas to revolutionise the UK's education system

Note: The below is primarily focused on England’s education system, although any ideas for other nations are also welcome here. Following on from the “Radical ideas to revolutionise the NHS” thread, I thought I’d do something similar in relation to the nation’s education system. While most...

www.railforums.co.uk

As someone who works in a school.
Teachers are very overstretched, and if phones are tolerated be in class , you'll be spending all lesson trying to keep the children focused and off tiktok, rather than actually delivering the lesson. Near every school already has this policy to some extent or another.

 

[PTR 444]

As someone who works in a school.
Teachers are very overstretched, and if phones are tolerated be in class , you'll be spending all lesson trying to keep the children focused and off tiktok, rather than actually delivering the lesson. Near every school already has this policy to some extent or another.

Schools can always block certain apps from their wifi, so that should lessen the problem. It doesn’t resolve the issue of pupils using mobile data though, and I’m not sure on the legality of using jammers to block such signals in the UK.

 

[renegademaster]

Schools can always block certain apps from their wifi, so that should lessen the problem. It doesn’t resolve the issue of pupils using mobile data though, and I’m not sure on the legality of using jammers to block such signals in the UK.

Very Illegal, you could be blocking your neighbors genuine access and end up with a very large fine.


Plus kids aren't dumb , they know about VPNs and what not, they'll find a way through any block

 

[birchesgreen]

Plus kids aren't dumb , they know about VPNs and what not, they'll find a way through any block

Good IT training actually. Probably more relevant than most things they'll learn in class anyway!

 

[renegademaster]

Good IT training actually. Probably more relevant than most things they'll learn in class anyway!

Not really , it's just downloading an app to the app store.

I dread to think what I'd be like if I was born when smartphones where a thing, me at the time would obviously kick off but future me would be thankful

 

[jon0844]

No need to block phones or try and find ways to limit Wi-Fi (when mobile data is cheap these days). Most schools have already banned the use of mobiles in school time, but kids can carry a phone. No need for parents to call their child as they call the school (and the child can call the parent via the school if necessary).

Goodness knows why the Government is now trying to act big on taking action that all schools have already done for years.

 

[randyrippley]

and I’m not sure on the legality of using jammers to block such signals in the UK.

totally illegal and potentially a jail sentence

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Oct 2023 ==

Last week around 30 kids got on the same bus as me to get home after school.
Every one either paid with his/her phone, or had the season ticket saved on it

Start taking phones off the kids, they won't be able to travel

 

[renegademaster]

totally illegal and potentially a jail sentence

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Oct 2023 ==

Last week around 30 kids got on the same bus as me to get home after school.
Every one either paid with his/her phone, or had the season ticket saved on it

Start taking phones off the kids, they won't be able to travel

If they have contactless on their phone they have a card somewhere. Plus most LAs have some kind of school discount cards to use.

Most schools with phone bans don't stop you carrying it with you anyway you just get it taken if they see it on you.

 

[GusB]

If they have contactless on their phone they have a card somewhere. Plus most LAs have some kind of school discount cards to use.

That doesn't help if they have a ticket that's stored on an app.

It's perhaps less of an issue now, but my bank took quite a while to issue contactless cards on the basic account that I had. I could use contactless via Google Pay, however.