A SCHOOL in Basingstoke has introduced lockable phone pouches to stop “intrusive” social media messages distracting learning while at school.
Cranbourne school introduced lockable Yondr phone pouches for students in the autumn term of 2021.
Students are able lock their phones away at the beginning of the day, and open back up at the end of school.
Mrs Jane Aplin, the headteacher, decided to use Yondr after intrusive pop ups and social media messaging disturbed learning, despite the school policy of phones being switched off in bags.
She said: “Some students found it hard to break the habit of checking their phone, so messages and news feeds popped up, even during lessons. Upsetting messages can really ruin your day and make it hard to focus on your education.”
Mrs Aplin said that the pouches help students feel safe in school.
She added: “We always hear people say ‘School days are the best days of your life’ and we want that to be true. I sometimes think that being a teenager brings such a lot of peer pressure – and constant social media tends to magnify this. I can honestly say that a phone free school helps students to relax and be themselves. Of course, we can unlock the pouches if phones are a useful tool for learning.”
Lead practitioner, Mr Long, who sometimes unlocks the pouches during Geography lessons, said: “Yondr pouches place learning at the heart of phone use and remove the distraction created by social media platforms. It has empowered teachers to be able to easily manage phone use as a powerful learning tool to add value, not devalue.”
Head girl, Sanjila Gurung said the pouches really help.
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She added: “It is more important than ever that students are present and able to fully focus on their education in school. The introduction of Yondr phone pouches excludes the use of any devices during school hours and has proven to drastically improve behaviour in class, boosting attention and helping to prevent cyber bullying. Separating students from their phones has allowed them to have time away from their screens and has visibly improved their overall wellbeing in school.
“In addition to this, by each department has a magnet to unlock the phones which enables the use of devices for observed educational and translation purposes, which has worked very successfully during school hours."
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