At Stanmore Public School, we aim to empower our students to engage and learn with confidence, courage and empathy by providing an education that inspires them to become global citizens.
Stanmore Public School discourages students from bringing mobile phones and smartwatches to school. These communication devices cause disruption to the teaching and learning in class and the playground and can be used inappropriately to access social media and take photos without permission. This can cause distress and breach the privacy of others.
If parents/carers feel it is necessary for their child to bring a digital communication device (mobile phone or smartwatch) to school, then the rules for student use of mobile phones and smartwatches in the school are listed below:
- Devices brought to and kept at school are used entirely at their owner’s risk. The school cannot accept any responsibility for theft, loss or damage of these devices. Students and parents should also recognise that mobile devices are a highly prized target for theft.
- Before and after school on school grounds, mobile phones are to be kept in the student’s bag at all times. During the school day, mobile phones must be handed to the class teacher for secure storage in the classroom, switched off or on silent, and collected at the end of the day.
- During the school day, smart phone/smartwatch notification alerts and location must be switched off. Parents are able to contact their children by calling the school phone number. If necessary, students can contact parents from the office phone.
- During the school day, phones and watches are not to be used to call home in an emergency. This is the duty of the school and the administrator/teacher in charge.
- During the school day, phones and watches are not to be used to call home in the event of a mishap at school or because belongings have been forgotten. These issues should be managed by school staff, who will contact parents if it is necessary. Parents will be informed of any events that have impacted on their child.
- Phones and watches are not to be used in the classroom, playground or incursion/excursion for any of the following purposes; check text messages, access games, the internet, images, use the camera to take photos or videos.
Phones and watches are not to be used to harass, bully or intimidate students or staff. Breaches will be dealt with as per the school’s Student Wellbeing and Discipline Policy.
Any use of mobile phones and smartwatches by a student, that is in breach of these rules, will lead to the confiscation of the device. In this instance, parents will be notified and confiscated devices will need to be collected from the administration office by the student’s parent or guardian at the end of the day.
