Ashford school to make students lock their phones in pouches

Students will each have their own pouch

A school in Kent is planning to make students put their mobile phones in a locked pouch during the day.

The John Wallis Academy in Ashford will introduce the measure in the new year.

Principal Damian McBeath explained that he hoped the rule would limit disruptions in the school and help with safeguarding.

Mr McBeath said he thought the academy would be the first school in Kent to use the pouches.

He said: "It's an issue that all schools are facing and trying to tackle and I think what we have found with the pouches is a way of not taking phones off students, because I think it is important that we educate children about the use of phones."

Every student will need to place their phone inside a pouch as they enter the school before it is magnetically locked and checked.

'At school to learn'

Mr McBeath said: "Obviously there are some students who feel a degree of attachment to their device and feel that need to have constant contact with a parent at home or somebody else.

"The flip side of that is we have probably had more students who are actually saying: 'At last this has been taken seriously. Thank you,' because they recognise that they are at school to learn.

"Schools should be a place where students come and they learn and they engage with their friends", he added.

Mr McBeath said some students had thanked him

A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: "We support the John Wallis Academy on its ban on the use of mobile phones in school to ensure pupils are able to work, learn and grow in a place free from the distraction they cause.

"Headteachers should be reassured that their efforts to keep schools mobile-free will be backed by the DfE, while we work towards publishing guidance."

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