thsafc Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 Hello, I am writing with a request for advice. I have recently taken over the EYFS lead role in a special school and want to make sure we are fully compliant with all the regulations around mobile phone usage. I've looked at Keeping Children Safe in Education and Working Together To Safeguard Children, and while I can see that schools have to have a policy around phones, I can't see much in the way of specifics. I had it in my head that there were specific rules in the wake of the Vanessa George case, but maybe I got that wrong... The current school practice in my school is that phones are not allowed in the parts of the school where children are, during the hours children are in. However, in my department we have our own small kitchen/staffroom which has a window through which staff can see outside and children passing could see in, which I'm not sure is ideal. Our phone lockers are currently in another office. All of this means that if a staff member wants to take their phone either to or from our staffroom at lunch, they are effectively breaking the rules. It seems like a bit of a loophole to me and I'd really like to resolve it or at least know exactly what the regulations / law said on the issue. Putting a frosting sticker on the window is one thought. But even if we brought the lockers into the staffroom that wouldn't address the issue of staff bringing them offsite at lunch, where they'd have to walk through the department. Could anyone advise me on whether there are specific regulations that could clarify things for me? Many thanks for any help you guys can offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 you need to have a mobile phone and IT policy which states what you do to protect children from harm. There are plenty of examples of these around but you can make up your own rules to fit your setting. Each settings will have challenges and at the end of the day it is the people who protect the children not a policy. Mobiles are only one thread in this policy of course and there have been recent discussions on here about apple watches etc too and of course if you use tablets for observations etc! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 Hello thsafc and welcome to the forum I agree with everything that fm has written Would question why your staff need access to their mobile phones at all - if they have dependants then I would make sure that they have the setting phone number to make contact in an emergency 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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