Use of Mobile Phone Policy

DOCUMENT CONTROL

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Students and Mobile Phones
3. Contravention of the Rules
4. Misuse of Phones
5. Setting an Example
6. Emergency Contact With Home

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Al Fajer Private School recognizes that mobile phones are commonplace in family life. However, our students are young children (KG1 – Grade 6), and unsupervised use of mobile phones during the school day is not appropriate. The school promotes student well-being, prevents mobile-phone misuse, and keeps the focus of the school day on learning and play.

1.2 This policy upholds the school's values of loyalty and integrity, and intellect, optimism and creativity, and applies with courtesy and respect for every member of our community.

2.0 Students and Mobile Phones

2.1 As a KG1 – Grade 6 school, AFS does not expect students to bring mobile phones to school. Where a family believes their child needs a phone for contact before or after the school day, the following applies: [NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm AFS's expectation — the recommended rule below is that phones are handed in to the office on arrival]

• 2.1.1 Any phone a child brings is switched off and handed to the class teacher or front office on arrival, and collected at the end of the day.
• 2.1.2 The school accepts no responsibility for loss of, or damage to, phones brought onto the premises.
• 2.1.3 During the school day, students may not take out, view or use a phone. If a child needs to contact home, this is arranged through school staff (see Section 6).
• 2.1.4 Earphones (wired or wireless) are also kept away while on the school site unless a teacher gives permission for a specific learning activity.

2.2 Any use of technology for learning is directed and supervised by staff and is governed by the Online Safety Policy and the BYOD Policy.

3.0 Contravention of the Rules

3.1 If these rules are broken, a member of staff will keep the phone safe in a designated, secure location, and the student will be told where it is. The response is age-appropriate and supportive:

• First occasion: the phone is returned to the child (or, for younger children, to the parent) at the end of the school day.
• If it happens again: a parent or responsible adult is asked to collect the phone and to talk the expectations through with the school.
• If it continues: the school may ask the family not to send a phone to school for the rest of the term or year. Any related concern is handled under the Behavior, Rewards & Sanctions Policy.

4.0 Misuse of Phones

4.1 If a phone is misused — on or off site — in a way that breaks this policy, affects another student's well-being, raises a child-protection or safeguarding concern, or brings the school into disrepute, the school will act under the Behavior, Rewards & Sanctions Policy and, where relevant, the Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy.

5.0 Setting an Example

5.1 Children often imitate adult behavior. We therefore ask staff, parents and other community members to show discretion when using their phones. We understand that messages sometimes need to be attended to on site, but in places where students are present we politely ask that phone use be kept to a minimum.

5.2 Staff should not use their phones during lessons or while on duty, except in an emergency or where absolutely necessary, and should not make personal calls in areas where students are or may be present.

5.3 Staff must not take photographs of students using their personal mobile phones. (See the Taking, Storing and Using Images of Children Policy.)

6.0 Emergency Contact With Home

6.1 Students do not call their parents directly. Any contact with home during the school day is arranged through the front office and school leadership. Likewise, parents are asked to contact the school office rather than their child directly to relay a message. This is an important safeguarding matter and is taken seriously.

6.2 If a student feels unwell, they seek permission to visit the school nurse. The nurse makes a professional judgment about whether parents should be contacted and may involve the school counselor. The nurse is the appropriate person to decide that a student should go home due to illness. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm AFS's nurse/counseling provision]

6.3 If a student has another urgent reason to contact home, a member of staff will arrange this using a school telephone.