Distraction-free Learning
The Department for Education has offered headteachers new guidance that sees the use of mobile phones banned during the school day for schools across England.
From streaming services, smart home automation to semi-autonomous cars, technology has become a staple of everyday life. In an ever-evolving, technology-reliant world, implementing such a restriction will be difficult for schools to enforce and teaching staff to police.
Why?
The move sees mobile phone use banned throughout the day, even extending restrictions to include break times, in an attempt to tackle disruptive behaviour and online bullying. The ban comes as part of the government’s wider plans to raise standards in schools, increasing attention in lessons and reducing distractions.
Where’s the proof?
The impact of mobile phones and other devices on child development is a complex and multifaceted issue. Many studies have been conducted over the years exploring the negative impact of exposing children to mobile devices from an early age and the behavioural consequences this can lead to.
The United Nations has already issued warnings on the risks of smartphones in schools while government data found approximately a third (29%) of key stage 3 and 4 students were using mobile phones when they were not supposed to in most, if not all, lessons.
How can my school implement this?
That’s where we come in. As leading manufacturers in the UK for storage systems, we have locker solutions that will support schools across England to effectively implement the ban on mobile phone use during the school day.
From durable laminate or steel designs that will withstand everyday wear and tear, to charging lockers and secure cupboards that restrict access, our range of storage options will provide learning environments with a practical solution to support this initiative.
Locker solutions
One of the primary challenges that schools are facing is ensuring students do not have easy access to their devices during the school day. With our phone lockers, schools can designate a specific location within the classroom where students must hand in their phones at the start of each lesson and retrieve them at the end. This designated area not only restricts students from easily accessing their mobile devices but also provides a convenient and centralised space for safe phone storage.
Available in banks of 8 or 16, our storage systems allow schools to choose the capacity that best suits their needs. This flexibility ensures there are enough lockers to accommodate all students, while also maintaining an organised and efficient process for collecting and returning phones.
Charging Lockers
With students using their smartphones for various purposes on their way to and from school, the limited battery life of mobile devices has become a common concern. It's not unusual for these devices to run out of battery before the school day ends. This can be highly inconvenient, as students may need their phones for essential communication or emergency situations. Our charging lockers address this issue by providing a secure and accessible charging solution. With designated charging lockers, students can ensure their phones remain charged and ready for use.
Secure, lockable solutions
Designed to be highly secure, our locker solutions will provide peace of mind to both school staff and students. By securely storing the devices, staff can be confident mobile phones are not accessible during lesson times while the risk of theft or loss is significantly reduced for students as their devices are safe and well-protected.
With a range of locking systems available, schools have the flexibility to secure lockers with lockable solutions that best suit their needs. Digital combination locks are a great alternative to standard latch locks that require keys to gain access. Needing a unique code, these locking systems limit accessibility and empower schools to effectively manage and enforce mobile phone usage policies during school hours. By entrusting only teaching staff with the access codes, schools can maintain a level of control that ensures students can't retrieve their devices from the lockers at will. Digital combination locks also allow for easy code changes, granting schools the flexibility to adapt as policies or staff change and minimises the administrative burden, particularly with latch lock systems where the need to replace lost keys is inevitable.
Our secure locker range offers an excellent solution to schools looking to implement a mobile phone ban effectively. By providing a designated storage location in classrooms or hallways, offering flexibility in locker capacity, ensuring security and utilising digital combination locks, schools can seamlessly enforce this policy, creating a focused and distraction-free learning environment for students.
