PC or what??

[chrisd]

So, my wife works at a primary school and all the staff received an email from the Head saying that any phone, Ipad or similar device has to be handed in to the office at the start of the working day and that the Head will relay important phone calls to the recipient that will now come in to the school office. Apart from the sheer volume of phones the school office will have to look after as kids have their phones taken too, it's difficult to see how they will cope with the constant messages.

The reason, apparently, is following guidance about safe guarding children following the Vanessa George case where inappropriate images were taken secretly.

So, are we now saying that everyone has to be treated as if they are potentially a pedophile just because of a, mercifully, few isolated cases. Are they going to ban knives and forks due to the number of stabbing committed these days?

The world has finally gone mad!

 

[Martin70]

If they are going down this route then I think they should ban them completely.

Everyone I know managed to get through school without a mobile phone. In any emergency the school would get a message to whoever needed it.

Maybe I am just showing my age

 

[Odvan]

So, my wife works at a primary school and all the staff received an email from the Head saying that any phone, Ipad or similar device has to be handed in to the office at the start of the working day and that the Head will relay important phone calls to the recipient that will now come in to the school office. Apart from the sheer volume of phones the school office will have to look after as kids have their phones taken too, it's difficult to see how they will cope with the constant messages.

The reason, apparently, is following guidance about safe guarding children following the Vanessa George case where inappropriate images were taken secretly.

So, are we now saying that everyone has to be treated as if they are potentially a pedophile just because of a, mercifully, few isolated cases. Are they going to ban knives and forks due to the number of stabbing committed these days?

The world has finally gone mad!

I agree, massive overkill.

Still, if it is implemented across the country its yet another reason for the teachers to go on strike

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Massive over reaction there, I can understand the staff's concern as their phone is private, my phone is clean, but I wouldn't like someone fielding my calls and while they are at it , looking at my messages etc

They either trust their staff or they do not

I'm all for taking the phones off the kids in school time as they are a massive distraction, but doing the same for staff is poor unless there are specific instances with particular individuals.

 

[Hacker Khan]

So, my wife works at a primary school and all the staff received an email from the Head saying that any phone, Ipad or similar device has to be handed in to the office at the start of the working day and that the Head will relay important phone calls to the recipient that will now come in to the school office. Apart from the sheer volume of phones the school office will have to look after as kids have their phones taken too, it's difficult to see how they will cope with the constant messages.

The reason, apparently, is following guidance about safe guarding children following the Vanessa George case where inappropriate images were taken secretly.

So, are we now saying that everyone has to be treated as if they are potentially a pedophile just because of a, mercifully, few isolated cases. Are they going to ban knives and forks due to the number of stabbing committed these days?

The world has finally gone mad!

The board of governors and the senior leadership team at each school will make a decision on what to do in each case regarding this. And it will then go in the relevant policy. And by no means all schools go this far.

This is not a blanket directive handed down, but it is a tricky area. As you don't want to over react, but on the other hand the safeguarding of the children is always paramount and takes precedent over the ability of a teacher to read their texts. As the governor responsible for safeguarding at the recruitment stage I fortunately (or possibly unfortunately as some of what people do to groom kids it is very depressing) know a bit about the issues.

 

[Fyldewhite]

I don't think anyone of the moral character to be in the business of taking indecent photos of children will be too bothered about breaking a draconian rule on mobile phones. Totally pointless and probably misinterpreting the actual advice or guidance "to be on the safe side". Happens far too often these days.

 

[guest100718]

I don't really see the point. If someone wants to smuggle in a camera they will, unless you have airport style screening at the door each day.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I don't think anyone of the moral character to be in the business of taking indecent photos of children will be too bothered about breaking a draconian rule on mobile phones. Totally pointless and probably misinterpreting the actual advice or guidance "to be on the safe side". Happens far too often these days.

it is virtually impossible to stop someone if they want to do this and have given no previous signs of wanting to do it. So all you can do is put as many things in place to prevent it happening, whilst at the same time not over reacting. But what is 'over reacting' will be a judgement call, ideally made by people who know the facts about child sexual exploitation and are educated in that area.

 

[Rooter]

I would tell them to do one, must be something about human rights or similar she could quote. If someone is a peado, taking their phone off them is not going to solve much is it..

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I would tell them to do one, must be something about human rights or similar she could quote. If someone is a peado, taking their phone off them is not going to solve much is it..

So is it a Human Rights issue, to receive and make personal calls whilst being paid to teach, assist or administer within the school?

As for the pupils! Mobile phones at primary school! Really??

 

[Hacker Khan]

So is it a Human Rights issue, to receive and make personal calls whilst being paid to teach, assist or administer within the school?

As for the pupils! Mobile phones at primary school! Really??

Some of the older ones have them mostly for safety reasons so they can let their parents know where they are. So they are not for use in school but after school if say they are going to a friends house.

Ironically a lot of this has mostly been brought about by the sense of paranoia induced by certain sections of the the media over the chances of your child being snatched off the street by random strangers.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

At my daughters school if anyone uses a phone within school grounds other than with the permission of the school it is taken off them and they can collect it at the end of the day. Otherwise they are fine to have them with them, switched off. This covers the emergency call situation. If a parent needs to contact their child then they do so through the office. Simple.

With regards to teachers I would not ban phones but any teacher found using their phone anywhere other than the staff room would be disciplined. That seems pretty simple and I suspect it will be the compromise found between the govt and the unions. Common sense will hopefully come through that suits both parties.

 

[pbrown7582]

At my daughters school if anyone uses a phone within school grounds other than with the permission of the school it is taken off them and they can collect it at the end of the day. Otherwise they are fine to have them with them, switched off. This covers the emergency call situation. If a parent needs to contact their child then they do so through the office. Simple.

With regards to teachers I would not ban phones but any teacher found using their phone anywhere other than the staff room would be disciplined. That seems pretty simple and I suspect it will be the compromise found between the govt and the unions. Common sense will hopefully come through that suits both parties.

the common sense approach and the best way forward IMO.

 

[bladeplayer]

At my daughters school if anyone uses a phone within school grounds other than with the permission of the school it is taken off them and they can collect it at the end of the day. Otherwise they are fine to have them with them, switched off. This covers the emergency call situation. If a parent needs to contact their child then they do so through the office. Simple.

With regards to teachers I would not ban phones but any teacher found using their phone anywhere other than the staff room would be disciplined. That seems pretty simple and I suspect it will be the compromise found between the govt and the unions. Common sense will hopefully come through that suits both parties.

You dont belong here oh sensible one , begone

 

[Rooter]

So is it a Human Rights issue, to receive and make personal calls whilst being paid to teach, assist or administer within the school?

As for the pupils! Mobile phones at primary school! Really??

I was not talking about the pupils, I agree that kids (if they have mobiles) should have them turned off at all times in school. Many will have them for "Security" for walking home etc..

The teachers, staff etc should be grown up and professional enough to know when to and when not to use them.

 

[bluewolf]

I was not talking about the pupils, I agree that kids (if they have mobiles) should have them turned off at all times in school. Many will have them for "Security" for walking home etc..

The teachers, staff etc should be grown up and professional enough to know when to and when not to use them.

Yes, they should.. But the School is obviously taking measures so that if the worst did happen, then they could not be held responsible after the fact.. We live in a blame culture and everyone is in the business of avoiding the big scary finger (ooh err Missus)

 

[chrisd]

It's clearly an over reaction to a one off case. My wife puts her phone in her locker when in the classroom but if they want to check for messages and emails at lunch time the office may have to find her phone amongst one of 50, or imagine if all 50 people was to access their phones! .... and hers is not a large school! What about the potential for staff to access or use a phone that's left in their care, what if an expensive phone goes missing?

I would probably take offence at the implied suggestion that everyone is potentially a paedophile and, anyway it does start to become worrying that some of the 4 and 5 year olds are not always as toilet trained as others and staff do have to help them.

It is a directive that any phone, tablet etc is handed in from Monday onwards, no discussion or consultation, I'd tell em to swivel if I worked there!

 

[Hacker Khan]

It's clearly an over reaction to a one off case. My wife puts her phone in her locker when in the classroom but if they want to check for messages and emails at lunch time the office may have to find her phone amongst one of 50, or imagine if all 50 people was to access their phones! .... and hers is not a large school! What about the potential for staff to access or use a phone that's left in their care, what if an expensive phone goes missing?

I would probably take offence at the implied suggestion that everyone is potentially a paedophile and, anyway it does start to become worrying that some of the 4 and 5 year olds are not always as toilet trained as others and staff do have to help them.

It is a directive that any phone, tablet etc is handed in from Monday onwards, no discussion or consultation, I'd tell em to swivel if I worked there!

What was your wives reaction to this?

 

[Hacker Khan]

At my daughters school if anyone uses a phone within school grounds other than with the permission of the school it is taken off them and they can collect it at the end of the day. Otherwise they are fine to have them with them, switched off. This covers the emergency call situation. If a parent needs to contact their child then they do so through the office. Simple.

With regards to teachers I would not ban phones but any teacher found using their phone anywhere other than the staff room would be disciplined. That seems pretty simple and I suspect it will be the compromise found between the govt and the unions. Common sense will hopefully come through that suits both parties.

I will reiterate this is not a directive that has come down from the government and I suspect there is no particular desire from teaching unions to let them have phones at all times either. It will be a call from the governing body who will approve the safeguarding policy.

 

[Hobbit]

How on earth can you trust a teacher to teach, for them to sit next to a pupil that's struggling, or to keep one back in detention(do they still have detention?) but not trust them with their mobile phone?

Some really educated thinking there by the H. Master...