Phones in School

This includes students who are on a school course or visit outside the school grounds.

Schools must allow students to use or access a phone when:

• A phone is needed for health reasons (for example, to monitor insulin levels); or

• A phone is needed to help a student with a disability or learning support need (for example, to assist with impaired communication); or

• A teacher requires students to use phones for a specific educational task or purpose (for example, for a class assignment); or

• The Principal decides that they are needed for special circumstances (for example, the student is a teenage parent)

• All applications for exemptions must be approved by the principal.

Our current rules are that phones are not to be used in any way during lessons, unless specifically told by the teacher that students may use their phone. They can be used at break times. This will remain until we can seek feedback and clarify the details from the Ministry of Education.

However, if students do use their phones during class time, they will be confiscated by the classroom teacher and handed into the Dean and be held in the Dean's office until the end of the day.

If students refuse to hand in their phones, then the matter will be referred to our Deputy Principal’s. Failure to comply further may result in more serious consequences put in place which may include being stood down from school for continual disobedience under the Education and Training Act (2020).

Please counsel your child(ren) about this significant change in our school. This also means a significant change for families, who often use cell phone messaging to communicate and coordinate your busy lives. Students will have access to their Chromebooks in most classes and email might be a good alternative. Messages can be left at the school office if need