School and college leaders have condemned the government’s plan to ban mobile phones from classrooms as outdated and out of touch, arguing that schools should be allowed to decide on appropriate rules. Having access to phones also enabled secondary schools to teach about responsible phone use and online harms, she said. She added that for some learners, such as children in the care system, mobile phones could be an “essential safety measure”, while young carers might need them to “provide essential support to parents”. The DfE has said its consultation seeks views from the sector on how schools ban mobile phones among other things and will use the feedback to produce guidance later in the year. A DfE spokesperson said: “Mobile phones can be distracting if used in the classroom, but when misused or overused, they can have a damaging effect on a pupil’s mental health and wellbeing.

Source: The Guardian August 16, 2021 13:51 UTC