Is my child allowed to bring a smartphone to school?
Yes. Mobile phones and smartphones are not banned at Muirfield. We understand that some parents want their child to have a phone for safety. Other families accept that most young people want a smartphone to be “connected”. Smartphones can be valuable educational tools.
I am concerned about too much screen time and don’t want my child to have a mobile phone at school?
No problem. Have your child leave their phone at home.
What happens if my child’s phone is lost or damaged at school?
As with all digital devices, students bring their phone at their own risk. Students should report a missing, lost or damaged phone but Muirfield High School will not be responsible for any loss, theft or damage. Parents and students should consider whether their phone requires insurance and whether specific accidental loss and breakage insurance is appropriate for any digital device.
Do you have rules about the use of the smartphones?
Yes, the school's Student Use of Digital Devices and Online Services Procedure includes smartphones. Use of a phone during class time is only at the discretion of the class teacher. All digital devices should not be used in any manner or place that is disruptive to learning or the normal routine of the school. Phone calls and messaging must not be made or answered during class time. As with any form of communication, students are not to use smartphones in a manner that is disrespectful or could be perceived as harassment. The school’s behaviour code will apply. Parents and students can report offensive, abusive or threatening communication, such as texts or on social media, to police, social media services or the e-safety commissioner
Depending on the circumstances, action may include:
- banning students from using smartphones during the course of the school day
- confiscating smartphones from individual students
- requiring students to hand in their mobile phones to designated school staff at the beginning of the school day for collection when students go home
- applying disciplinary actions
- reporting the matter to the police.
Are teachers allowed to confiscate my child’s phone or view images on my child’s phone, or digital device?
Yes. If a student is using a phone in a manner that the teacher believes is inappropriate such as disturbing the lesson, and the student refuses to put the phone away, a Head Teacher or Deputy may confiscate the phone for the remainder of the school day or until a parent picks it up.
If school staff have reasonable grounds to suspect that a student has inappropriate material on his or her phone, or digital device, they may confiscate the phone for the purpose of confirming the existence of the material. Any viewing of the material is generally undertaken in the presence of the student and is limited to establishing that inappropriate material is on the phone. Staff will be sensitive to other personal information of the student that may also be present on the phone.