This last week we have dealt with a couple of incidents related to use of technology inside and outside of school that have had a significant impact on staff time and school resources.
We ask all families to ensure that they re-familiarise themselves with our Acceptable Use of ICT policy (linked below). We also need your support as parents and guardians to:
- Discuss healthy use of technology with your child
- Monitor their use of technology outside of school
- Support us in teaching your children and holding them to account for their use of tech, so that we can keep our school a place where tech is used to enhance learning.
Young people need to develop good habits around tech use, and this will not come from preventing students from having any access to technology, but from strong schooling and parenting in partnership.
In that regard, please read the following very carefully as it contains important information and some recent updates…
Mobile phones, tech in school and acceptable use of ICT.
As has always been the case, mobile phones are not allowed to be used in school – this is now also a government directive.
Mobile phones must be switched off and in students’ bags for the whole school day (not on silent, not in a pocket). Mobile phones can only be used in exceptional circumstances, agreed by a member of staff. Phones will be confiscated from students if they are used during the school day.
For the few students who bring their own device (home iPad or laptop), this must be done through our school network, not using a hotspot phone connection.
Here is the link to our acceptable use of ICT policy which all families and students have signed.
iPads are a requirement for students at our school, and it is an expectation that they are used in line with our acceptable use policy.
Government Consultation & Social media accounts
The government has been consulting on restricting use of tech for children, including:
- Age Restrictions: Exploring potential age limits or bans for under-16s on social media, some gaming platforms, and AI chatbots.
- Addictive Features: Reviewing restrictions on addictive design elements like infinite scrolling, streaks, and algorithmic content delivery.
- Screen Time & Curfews: Assessing digital curfews and screen time guidance for parents of children aged 5 to 16.
The government have recently announced that Social Media will be banned for Under-16s from Spring 2027. More information can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fact-sheet-new-rules-to-protect-children-online/fact-sheet-new-rules-to-protect-children-online
We see in schools, all too frequently the harm that unrestricted or unsupervised access to social media can cause. Sadly in some cases this harm is very serious.
The NSPCC has recently posted on the social media platforms that are most linked to abuse of children. More information can be found here:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/about-us/news-opinion/2026/new-childline-data-reveals-top-five-platforms-apps-linked-to-online-child-sexual-abuse/
Wider tech-use and health habits
Personal devices are powerful tools that empower our students to be creative and professional, they also require constant stewardship and clear boundaries to ensure they remain a force for good.
We ask that you remain ever-vigilant regarding your child’s tech use at home not just in terms of e-safety and knowing who they are communicating with and how, but also in fostering healthy habits that prioritise sleep, face-to-face connection, and “switching off”.
To support these conversations at home, here are some organisations providing expert advice:
- Internet Matters: Provides comprehensive, age-specific guides to help parents keep children safe online, including advice on setting parental controls and managing screen time.
- NSPCC – Online Safety: Offers practical tips on everything from social media and gaming to dealing with online bullying and mental health.
- UK Safer Internet Centre: Offers a wealth of resources including tips, advice, and educational films to help you stay safe online.
Ensuring safe use of school-managed iPads at home
After 4.30pm the safety controls are handed over to you as a family.
For the best level of protection we recommend setting up an Apple family set of accounts, and using parental controls such as screen time.
Once you have the child
account linked to yours through a
family set of accounts you can then also use parental controls to determine what features can be accessed and at what times:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/105121Thanks for your continued support. The world of tech changes quickly; we will do what we can to ensure that our children are equipped for the modern world and protected from the potential harms of tehnology.
