Reviewed by: Full Governing Body, Summer 2026
Next Review: Summer 2027
Contents
3. Roles and responsibilities.
4. Use of mobile phones by staff
5. Use of mobile phones by pupils.
10. Appendix 2: mobile phone information slip for visitors.
1. Introduction and aims
At Kelvin Grove Primary School, our policy aims to:
- Ensure our environment is mobile phone-free by default
- Ensure the safe, responsible and lawful use of mobile phones, where applicable
- Provide clear guidelines for the use of mobile phones for pupils, staff, parents/carers, visitors and volunteers
- Support the school’s other policies, especially those related to Safeguarding, E-safety and behaviour
This policy also aims to address some of the challenges posed by mobile phones in school, such as:
- Risks to child protection
- Data protection issues
- Risk of theft, loss, or damage
- Appropriate use of technology for learning purposes
Note: throughout this policy, ‘mobile phones’ refers to mobile phones and similar devices.
2. Relevant guidance
This policy meets the requirements of section 36 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, and the Department for Education (DfE)’s mobile phone guidance and behaviour guidance. Further guidance that should be considered alongside this policy is Keeping Children Safe in Education.
3. Roles and responsibilities
3.1 Staff
All staff (including teachers, support staff and supply staff) are required to actively enforce this policy and challenge any breach of mobile phone restrictions immediately and consistently.
Volunteers, or anyone else otherwise engaged by the school, must alert a member of staff if they witness, or are aware of, a breach of this policy.
The headteacher is responsible for monitoring the policy and reviewing it every 2 years, and holding staff and pupils accountable for its implementation.
Staff will address any questions or concerns from parents/carers quickly and clearly communicate the reasons for prohibiting the use of mobile phones.
3.2 Governors
Governors will be consulted in the creation of this policy, and take responsibility for monitoring and reviewing it as part of the Parents, Pupils and Community committee.
4. Use of mobile phones by staff
4.1 Personal mobile phones
Staff (including volunteers, contractors and anyone else otherwise engaged by the school) are not permitted to use their personal mobile phone during the school day, while children are present. Use of personal mobile phones must be restricted to non-contact time, and to areas of the school where pupils are not present (such as the staffroom).
There may be circumstances in which it’s appropriate for a member of staff to have use of their phone during contact time for personal reasons. For instance (this list is non-exhaustive):
- For emergency contact by their child, or their child’s school
- In the case of acutely ill dependents or family members
The headteacher will decide on a case-by-basis whether to allow for special arrangements.
If special arrangements are not deemed necessary, school staff can use the school office number 020 8699 6300 as a point of emergency contact.
4.2 Data protection
Staff must not use their personal mobile phones to process personal data, or any other confidential school information, including entering such data into generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as chatbots (e.g. ChatGPT and Google Gemini) unless approved beforehand by SLT.
More guidance can be found within our school’s data protection policy.
4.3 Safeguarding
Staff must not give their personal contact details to parents/carers or pupils, including connecting through social media and messaging apps.
Staff must avoid publicising their contact details on any social media platform or website, to avoid unwanted contact by parents/carers or pupils.
Staff must not use their personal mobile phones to take photographs or recordings of pupils, their work, or anything else that could identify a pupil. If it’s necessary to take photos or recordings as part of a lesson / school trip / activity, this must be done using school equipment.
4.4 Using personal mobiles for work purposes
In some circumstances, it may be appropriate for staff to use personal mobile phones or a similar device during the school day in front of pupils for work. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to:
- Issuing homework,
- Use of multi-factor authentication
- Emergency evacuations
- Supervising off-site trips
- Supervising residential visits
- Recording first aid and medical incidents
- Updating assessments through agreed apps.
In these circumstances, staff will:
- Use their mobile phones in an appropriate and professional manner, in line with our staff code of conduct
- Not use their phones to take photographs or recordings of pupils, their work, or anything else that could identify a pupil
- Refrain from using their phones to contact parents/carers. If necessary, contact must be made via the school office
- During residential trips, staff are allowed to use their personal devices to communicate with school and each other to ensure smooth running of the trip and for ease of communication. School devices will be issued to staff for the purpose of taking and sharing pictures.
4.5 Work phones
Some members of staff are provided with a mobile phone by the school for work purposes.
Only authorised staff are permitted to use school phones, and access to the phone must not be provided to anyone without authorisation.
Staff must:
- Only use school phone functions for work purposes, including making/receiving calls, sending/receiving emails or other communications, or using the internet
- Ensure that communication or conduct linked to the device is appropriate and professional at all times, in line with our staff code of conduct
4.6 Sanctions
Staff that fail to adhere to this policy may face disciplinary action.
See the school’s staff disciplinary policy for more information.
5. Use of mobile phones by pupils
Pupils must not use their mobile phones during the school day, including during lessons, in the time between lessons, at breaktimes and at lunchtimes, unless explicitly authorised by a member of staff (for example, for a specific medical reason).
The school will manage this expectation by:
- Staff collecting mobile phones on arrival, except for children with an exemption, detailed below.
Pupils will be taught the risks that are associated with the use of mobile phones, both in school and more broadly, to ensure they understand the decision to prohibit the use of mobile phones throughout the school day. These risks can include a loss of focus in lessons, classroom disruption and an increase in bullying. Pupils will be encouraged to see a mobile-phone free environment as desirable and valuable.
5.1 Use of smartwatches by pupils
The DfE’s statutory mobile phones guidance includes in the term ‘mobile phones’ all devices with communications and smart technology that the school chooses to include in their policy.
Smartwatches are wristwatches with smart technology in them. They can be used to tell the time, send and receive text and voice messages, make calls and listen to music. Some smartwatches have wellness and health-related features.
For this reason, the school will apply the same expectations and regulation to smartwatches as mobile phones.
Unless a child has an exception as detailed below:
- Smartwatches will be collected by members of staff as pupils enter the school.
5.2 Exceptions for special circumstances
The school may permit pupils to use a mobile phone in school, due to exceptional circumstances. Permission will only be granted where there is a documented safeguarding or medical necessity. To request such permission, pupils or parents/carers should contact the headteacher.
Any pupils who are given permission must then adhere to the school’s acceptable use agreement for mobile phone use (see appendix 1).
5.3 Sanctions
If a pupil with an agreed exception is in breach of our acceptable use agreement:
- The child’s mobile phone will be confiscated. If they need the mobile phone for medical reasons, they will remain with the device under adult supervision.
- Parents will be contacted and further safeguards will be agreed and put in place.
If school staff suspect any illegal, dangerous or harmful behavior, they will consult with the head teacher who may decide to search the pupils mobile phone in line with the DfE’s guidance on searching, screening and confiscation.
For these cases, sanctions given will be reasonable and proportionate. The school will also consider whether:
- There are any relevant special circumstances (for example, age, religious requirements, special educational needs (SEN), disability)
- The pupil’s behaviour may indicate they may be suffering, or at risk of, harm. If this is suspected, staff will follow the appropriate procedure set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education. This will include speaking with the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) or deputy, who will consider if pastoral support, an early intervention, or a referral to children’s social care, is appropriate
The school takes behaviours such as bullying or harassment extremely seriously and will involve or other agencies as appropriate.
Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:
- Sexting (consensual and non-consensual sharing nude or semi-nude images or videos)
- Upskirting
- Threats of violence or assault
- Abusive calls, emails, social media posts or texts directed at someone on the basis of someone’s ethnicity, religious beliefs or sexual orientation
6. Use of mobile phones by parents/carers, volunteers and visitors
Parents are encouraged to reinforce and discuss this policy at home as appropriate, including the risks associated with mobile phone use and the benefits of a mobile phone-free environment.
Parents/carers, visitors and volunteers (including governors and contractors) must adhere to this policy as it relates to staff if they are on the school site during the school day.
This means:
- Not taking pictures or recordings of pupils, unless it’s at a public event (such as a school fair), or of their own child
- Using any photographs or recordings for personal use only, and not posting on social media without consent
- Not using phones in lessons, when working with pupils or while children are present
Parents/carers, visitors and volunteers will be informed of the rules for mobile phone use when they sign in at reception or attend a public event at school.
A summary of the policy will be displayed and clearly visible in the school reception.
Parents/carers or volunteers supervising school trips or residential visits must not:
- Use their phone to contact other parents/carers of children on the trip.
- Take photos or recordings of pupils, their work, or anything else that could identify a pupil
Parents/carers or volunteers supervising trips are also responsible for enforcing the school’s policy for pupils using their phones, as set out in section 5 above, but must refer any sanctions to a member of staff, as they do not have the power to search or confiscate devices.
Parents/carers must use the school office as the first point of contact if they need to get in touch with their child during the school day. They must not try to contact their child on their personal mobile during the school day.
7. Loss, theft or damage
Pupils bringing mobile phones to school must ensure that their phones are appropriately labelled or easily identifiable, ready to be stored away securely when not in use during the school day.
Pupils must secure their mobile phones as much as possible, including using passwords or pin codes to protect access to the phone’s functions. Staff must also secure their personal phones, as well as any work phone provided to them. Failure by staff to do so could result in data breaches.
The school accepts no responsibility for mobile phones that are lost, damaged or stolen on school premises or transport, during school visits or trips, or while pupils are travelling to and from school.
Parents will be aware of this when requesting permission for their children to bring a mobile phone to and from school and this policy will be made available to them.
Confiscated phones will be stored in the school office in a secure location.
Schools that confiscate phones from pupils become responsible for the phone and can be held responsible for loss, theft or damage. Adapt the statement above to explain where and how confiscated phones will be stored and who is responsible for them.
Lost phones should be returned to the school office The school will then attempt to contact the owner.
8. Monitoring and review
The school is committed to ensuring that this policy has a positive impact on pupils’ education, behaviour and welfare. When reviewing the policy, the school will take into account:
- Feedback from parents/carers and pupils
- Feedback from staff
- Records of behaviour and safeguarding incidents
- Relevant advice from the Department for Education, the local authority and any other relevant organisations
If there are any concerns regarding this policy, these should be brought to the attention of Kris Clark, Deputy Head Teacher in a timely manner.
9. Appendix 1: Acceptable use agreement for pupils allowed to bring their phones to school due to exceptional circumstances
Link to agreement: https://www.cognitoforms.com/KelvinGroveSchool1/AcceptableUseAgreementPupilsMobilePhones
10. Appendix 3: mobile phone information slip for visitors
Use of mobile phones and similar devices in our school
Our school is a mobile phone-free environment.
- Please keep your mobile phone on silent/vibrate while on the school grounds
- Please do not use phones where pupils are present. If you must use your phone, you may go to staff room or school office.
- Do not take photos or recordings of pupils (unless it is your own child), or staff
- Do not use your phone in lessons, when working with pupils or while children are present
The school accepts no responsibility for phones that are lost, damaged or stolen while you are on the school grounds.
A full copy of our mobile phone policy is available from the school office or online on our website.