Mobile Phone Policy
PURPOSE
To explain to our school community the Department’s and Norwood Secondary College’s (NSC) policy requirements and expectations relating to students using mobile during school hours.
SCOPE
This policy applies to:
- All students at NSC and,
- Students’ personal mobile phones brought onto school premises during school hours, including recess and lunchtime.
DEFINITIONS
A mobile phone is a telephone with access to a cellular (telecommunication) system, with or without a physical connection to a network.
POLICY
NSC understands that students may bring a personal mobile phone to school, particularly if they are travelling independently to and from school.
At NSC:
- Students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours
- Exceptions to this policy may be applied if certain conditions are met (see below for further information)
- When emergencies occur, parents or carers should reach their child by calling the school’s office.
Personal mobile phone use
In accordance with the Department’s 'Mobile Phones — Student Use' Policy issued by the Minister for Education, personal mobile phones must not be used at NSC during school hours, including lunchtime and recess, unless an exception has been granted.
Where a student has been granted an exception, the student must use their mobile phone for the purpose for which the exception was granted, and in a safe, ethical and responsible manner.
Before and after school
Responsible use of mobile phones is permissible before and after school.
In class
Students are not permitted to have mobile phones in class. Phones should be locked securely in the student’s locker.
Recess and lunch
Students are not permitted to access their mobile phone at their lockers and are not permitted to have mobile phones in the schoolyard. Phones should be locked securely in the student’s locker.
Camps and excursions and extracurricular activities
In most circumstances, students will not be allowed to bring their mobile phones on overnight school camps or excursions. NSC will provide students and their parents and carers with information about items that can be brought to special activities and events, including mobile phones.
Secure storage
Mobile phones owned by students at NSC are considered valuable items and are brought to school at the owner’s (student’s or parent/carer’s) risk. Students are encouraged not to bring a mobile phone to school unless there is a compelling reason to do so. Please note that NSC does not have accident insurance for accidental property damage or theft. Students and their parents/carers are encouraged to obtain appropriate insurance for valuable items. Refer to the (NSC’s Personal Property Policy AND/OR the Department’s Claims for Property Damage and Medical Expenses policy).
Where students bring a mobile phone to school, NSC will provide secure storage. Secure storage is storage that cannot be readily accessed by those without permission to do so. At NSC students are required to store their phones in their lockers, secured with an appropriate lock.
Enforcement
Students who use their personal mobile phones inappropriately at NSC may be issued with consequences consistent with our school’s existing student engagement polices (Bullying, Student Engagement and Inclusion, and Code of Conduct).
At NSC, the use of mobile phones during school hours, is considered inappropriate if it is used:
- To disrupt the learning of others
- To send inappropriate, harassing or threatening messages or phone calls
- To engage in inappropriate social media use including cyber bullying
- To capture video or images of people, including students, teachers and members of the school community without their permission
- To capture video or images in the school toilets, changing rooms, swimming pools and gyms
- During exams and assessments.
Exceptions
Exceptions to the policy:
- may be applied during school hours if certain conditions are met, specifically,
- Health and wellbeing-related exceptions; and
- Exceptions related to managing risk when students are offsite.
- can be granted by the Principal, or by the teacher for that class, in accordance with the Department’s 'Mobile Phones — Student Use' Policy
The three categories of exceptions allowed under the Department’s Mobile Phones — Student Use Policy are:
1. Learning-related exceptions
| Specific exception | Documentation |
|---|---|
| For specific learning needs (class based exception) | Unit of work, learning sequence |
| For students for whom a reasonable adjustment to a learning program is needed because of a disability or learning difficulty | Individual Learning Plan, Individual Education Plan |
2. Health and wellbeing-related exceptions
| Specific exception | Documentation |
|---|---|
| Students with a health condition | Student Health Support Plan |
| Students who are Young Carers | A localised student record |
3. Exceptions related to managing risk when students are offsite
| Specific exception | Documentation |
|---|---|
| Travelling to and from excursions | Risk assessment planning documentation |
| Students on excursions and camps | Risk assessment planning documentation |
| When students are offsite (not on school grounds) and unsupervised with parental permission | Risk assessment planning documentation |
| Students with a dual enrolment or who need to undertake intercampus travel | Risk assessment planning documentation |
Where an exception is granted, the student can only use the mobile phone for the purpose for which it was granted.
NB: Smart watches
Smart watches can only be worn by students for the purpose of checking the time. They must not be used as a cellular device during school hours. Students would be in breach of this policy if they used the functionality of a smart watch in a similar way to that of a mobile phone during school hours, including lunchtime and recess.
NB: Air pods/headphones
Students may also be in breach of this policy if they are found to be wearing headphones/ air pods during school hours, unless permission has been explicitly given by a teacher, in order to access approved learning activities.
Exclusions
This policy does not apply to:
- Out-of-school-hours events
- Travelling to and from school
- iPads and laptops (see the Digital Learning Policy and the Acceptable Use Agreement)
- Students undertaking workplace learning activities, e.g. work experience
- Students who are undertaking VET.
COMMUNICATION
This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways:
- Available publicly on our school’s website
- Included in staff induction processes and staff training
- Included in the staff handbook
- Hard copy available from the General Office upon request
RELATED POLICIES AND RESOURCES
NSC Policies including the Student Engagement and Inclusion, Bullying Prevention and Code of Conduct can be found in the policy section on the College Website.
- Mobile Phones — Student Use Policy
- Weapons — Banning, Searching and Seizing Harmful Items
- Claims for Property Damage and Medical Expenses policy
| POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL | |
|---|---|
| Policy last reviewed | July 2023 |
| Consultation | Consultation with: College Leadership Team: 05/06/2023 Student Representative Council: 18/07/2023 Education Sub-Committee (parent group of CC): 20/06/23 |
| Approved by | Principal |
| Next scheduled review date | July 2027 |