A phone-free day means:

• Calmer, more focused lessons, with fewer distractions.
• Stronger safeguarding, less pressure from social media during the day, and better wellbeing for everyone.

Going phone-free also follows the Department for Education's national guidance on mobile phones in schools, which applies from September 2026. Importantly, your child keeps their own phone with them all day. It is simply locked away in the pouch until home time.

Personal Electronic Devices – Including Mobile Phones Policy

In the morning

1. Pupils line up at their entrance and have their uniform checked.
2. They open their pouch by tapping it on the unlocking base.
3. They briefly show their phone (switched on) so staff can see it is a genuine, working phone.
4. The phone is switched off and placed in the pouch, along with any smartwatch, earbuds or headphones.
5. Staff lock the pouch, and it goes into your child's school bag for the day.

At the end of the day

1. As pupils leave, they tap the pouch on the unlocking base to open it.
2. They take out their phone and any other devices.
3. They close the empty pouch (this protects the pin) and keep it in their bag ready for the next day.

The pouch stays with your child the whole time. It is not handed in or stored by the school.

The rules cover more than just phones. All of the following must be secured for the school day:

• Mobile phones and smartphones
• Smartwatches and other wearable technology
• Earbuds, headphones and wireless listening devices
• Music players and handheld games consoles
• Non-school tablets or iPads 

Anything too big for a pouch, such as a tablet, should not be brought out during the school day and will be confiscated if seen.

Everyday questions

Does my child need a pouch even if they don't have a phone?

Yes. The pouch is part of mandatory school equipment and every pupil is expected to bring theirs each day. If your child does not have a phone, please complete the Parental Declaration Form. Your child will be given a pass so they take part in the daily routine without being singled out.

What if my child arrives late or needs to leave early?

Pupils arriving late secure their phone, watch and earbuds at Reception. Pupils leaving early can unlock their pouch at Reception.

Contacting your child

How do I reach my child during the school day?

Please call the School Office and we will always pass on a message. Please do not call or text your child's phone during the school day, as they will not be able to answer.

What if there is an emergency?

Contact the School Office and we will make sure your child is found and supported straight away. Pupils can also ask the pastoral office to phone home at any time if they need to.

My child has a medical condition that needs a phone. What happens?

Pupils with a diagnosed medical condition that relies on their phone are given a Velcro pouch. They follow the same daily checks but keep access to their phone for that medical need. The school will contact parents directly to discuss arrangements for individual pupils.

Looking after the pouch

What happens if my child forgets their pouch?

Your child will receive a detention, as the pouch is required equipment.

If you child has a mobile phone they must hand it to the member of staff on duty. Confiscated phones will be kept until the end of the week unless they are collected by a parent.

How do I collect a phone that has been kept in school?

Confiscated phones are stored securely in the school safe and the office will let you know. An adult listed as a contact for your child may collect it from the school office and will be asked to describe the phone as a simple security check. If it is not collected, it stays safely in school until the end of the week.

What if the pouch is lost or damaged?

The phone will be kept for the day and a sanction applied, and a £20 charge applies for a replacement pouch. Damage includes ripped, cut or torn fabric, a bent or cut pin, signs of force to the black button or ball, or a pouch that opens without the unlocking station.

What if the pouch is damaged by accident?

Please ask your child to tell staff straight away. Damage found at a pouch check will be treated as deliberate unless it has already been reported.

How do I collect a phone that has been kept in school?

Confiscated phones are stored securely in the school safe and the office will let you know. An adult listed as a contact for your child may collect it from the school office and will be asked to describe the phone as a simple security check. If it is not collected, it stays safely in school until the end of the week.

Rules and fairness

What happens if my child uses a phone during the day?

The device will be confiscated and a consequence issued. A phone used or seen outside its pouch is treated seriously and is likely to result in a one-day suspension.

Will my child be searched?

Only where there are reasonable grounds, and always within Department for Education guidance. A hand-held scanner check is not a search. Any search of a pupil is carried out by a member of staff of the same sex, with a witness present, covers outer clothing only, and never involves force. All searches are recorded, and reasonable adjustments are made for pupils with SEND.

Privacy

Does the pouch track my child or store anything from their phone?

No. The pouch is simply a lockable pouch. Your child keeps their own phone with them at all times, and the school does not access what is on it.

We know a phone-free day may occasionally be inconvenient, and we are grateful for your support in making it work. Our office team are always happy to help with messages and collections, and we ask that they are treated with courtesy and respect at all times.