Latest news with #EmilyJennings
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Former teacher says phone ban will not be easy
A former teacher and union rep has said a decision to ban mobile phones in Jersey schools and colleges "may encourage children to actually talk to each other".The Government of Jersey said the ban would include break and lunch times and apply to all students up the end of Key Stage Mauger from the NASUWT teacher union welcomed the change and said she spent much time in her teaching days telling students to put their phones away or down, and believed children would said: "I don't think it will be easy. 'Easy to enforce' "I think initially while children are getting used to this ban, they will try every manoeuvre they can to retain and use their phone in school."If a school has a good behaviour policy, which all Jersey schools do have, then it should be easy for teachers to enforce."Outside of school, she believes it is the responsibility of parents to monitor how their children are using their phones, including social ban is set to come in from September, and she thinks it will help reduce the amount of "horrible things" seen by children online. Local play champion and smartphone free childhood campaigner Emily Jennings said the parent community was heartened to see the guidance and recommendations for mobile-free Jennings believes the next steps for the government was to work with mobile phone manufactures to create more non-smart mobile phones for children."Currently if you walk into a mobile phone shop on the high street, there are very few," she said."Most of them are designed for old people with big buttons which are not cool for kids." She said the announcement by the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning Deputy Rob Ward promoting non-smart phone ownership for children was a first for the UK."They may not bring the phone to school, and they may have the smartphone that their parents may have given them before, but the education minister has recommended that parents don't buy their children a smart phone," said Ms Jennings."There are safer phones for children that do not have internet on them." 'Win for childhood' Ms Jennings said the ban of the devices at school was a "real win for childhood". "Children are free to play with each other in real life without distraction from dopamine devices is just extraordinary," added Ms Jennings."This is a radical step and a real win for childhood."
ITV News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Government to ban children from using phones in all Jersey schools following ITV News investigation
Jersey's government will ban the use of mobile phones in all schools for students up to the end of Key Stage Four. A draft letter to parents and guardians, leaked to ITV Channel, reveals that from the start of the next academic year, all Government of Jersey schools and colleges will not allow pupils to use their phones at any time during the school day. The restriction covers break and lunchtimes and all students, up to and including Year 11. The new guidelines also say that schools "will not hesitate to contact police" if severe inappropriate content is accessed during school time. Parents are asked to "strongly consider your decision to buy a smartphone or give an old smartphone to your child". This follows an ITV Channel investigation into the impact of smartphones on young people, including an experiment where devices were taken from a group of students for two weeks. This new guidance sees Jersey go further than most countries around the world. Within the draft letter, parents and guardians are given the following advice: Not to send children to school with a smartphone. If you make the decision to give a smartphone to your child, ensure you have "control over its use" and that "you can access what your child is using it for". If you decide to send your child to school with a smartphone against government advice, regularly remind them that it should be left switched off and not carried around school. If a smartphone is found in use during the school day, the school is asked to take it from the student and keep it as per their policy. When a student evades policy to use a phone, they will be "dealt with according to school behaviour policy". If a student is seen with access to inappropriate sites and content, "We will not hesitate to involve the police, should it be of a severe nature". Emily Jennings from the campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood says: "So many parents have been sharing their concerns about seeing illegal and harmful content on peers' and other children's devices in school. "Having a smartphone-free school day just means kids will be free to learn without distraction and play and socialise in real life. Play is a fundamental part of child development. Without it, we just don't develop the skills of innovation, imagination and socialisation that we really need to see in adults in our society. "Many countries are looking into a social media ban for under-16-year-olds, and we are seeing more and more harmful and negative effects of the impact of social media on young people." Want the inside track on the key issues that will shape Guernsey's Election this June? Listen to Guernsey Votes, an ITV Channel podcast packed with expert guests, local insight and analysis you can trust...
