Mobile Phones

In line with other secondary schools, we have an ‘invisible’ mobile phones policy at Belvidere. We believe that restricting access to mobile phones during the school day improves concentration and punctuality as well as helping students to develop their social skills with more face-to-face interactions. 

Crucially, we have a duty to safeguard our students and this duty includes protecting them from unpleasant or inappropriate on-line content or contact during the school day. 

Rules 

• Mobile phones are not to be seen or heard at all during the school day, including at break and lunchtimes. This means that they will be switched off in school bags, not in pockets where they are visible and there is a strong temptation to ‘check’ them. 
• This restriction is in place from gate to gate.  
• If a phone can be seen in a pocket, staff will ask the student to transfer it into their bag where it is invisible.  
• If a mobile phone is heard, or seen in a student’s hand, the device will be confiscated and held securely in the attendance office until the end of the school day.  
• If the phone has to be repeatedly confiscated, Heads of Year may request that a student’s phone remains at home.  
• If a student wears a smart watch, their mobile phone must be turned off so that no alerts are received on the watch during the day.  
• Headphones should also be invisible during the school day. 

If, during the school day, students need to speak urgently to a parent/carer, they should go to reception at break or lunchtime and ask to use the telephone there. Reception staff are also able to pass on messages to students from parents/carers during the school day.