Dear colleagues,

Thank you for delivering and supporting the excellent activites that took place in and beyond the curriculum last week. In addition to clubs and inter-house activities, we had a group of S3s successfully complete the Columba 1400 Leadership Academy (video below), a successful Active Girls Day and positive pupil-led assemblies to raise the profile of neurodiversity and disabilities. I have shared the presentation below for those who did not have the opportunity to see and hear it.

The weekly in-house CLPLs are providing helpful reminders and insights that will improve your learning & teaching toolkit.  Although I couldn't make the CLPL, I did watch Dougie's helpful screencast on Mote. Notably at  5.45mins, Dougie shows how to use Mote to translate to Ukranian.  The whole video is worth a watch.

Systems Matter - mobile phone procedures

Following surveys, focus groups, parent council meetings and finally a short-life working group meeting, we have shared an update to our mobile phone policy.  I appreciate that staff need a little time to reflect on the policy update.

I am looking for feedback on that: Staff feedback on proposed changes and would like to tighten up early in the new term.

What is clear is the gentle approach to reminding pupils not to use phones was having little impact. We know that lessons are regularly disrupted and pupils distracted from use of mobile phones.  I hope that that a tighter approach all round, with routines for S1-3 built-in, will see significant improvement.  I appreciate that there are concerns about managing the change, but I ask that you get behind the new policy and that we all do our bit to make it work as best we can.  SLT will support wherever we can.  We will review after 4 weeks.

What we'd like to change

• S1-3 pupils must put their mobile phones on silent into a safe box on the way into each class so that they are safely out of sight and distraction is avoided.

• S4-6 pupils must keep their phones on silent and in their bag during class time.

• If a pupil is seen using their phone in class, it will be confiscated by the member of staff who will ensure its safe storage at the school office.

• The pupil is able to collect their phone at the end of the school day.

• Unless part of a support plan, pupils should not wear headphones in class as these are connected to their mobile device. This will also lead to phone confiscation.

Why? 

• Learning is interrupted regularly in class

• Warnings and reminders from teachers have not prevented interruptions and distractions caused by mobile phones in class time.  This is why we have decided that confiscation is a necessary step. We hope that this will motivate our young people to cooperate, follow the rules and develop good habits that will have a positive effect on focus and learning.

• Research findings show link between smartphone use and increased anxiety, depression and other mental health issues in young people - we see an increase in this among young people in our school

• We hope that the 5.5-6 hours of mobile phone free time in class will contribute to more healthy routines and habits and impact positively on everyone’s learning.

Communication when finalised

Parents will be communicated via email 

Pupils will be informed via year group google classrooms. 

I will run short (10 min) assemblies with each year group to go through the protocols.

Head Prefects will be run pupil councils early in the week to talk through the rationale and reinforce expectations with class reps.

Please note that I am out on an inspection Monday to Wednesday and will be back on Thursday morning.

Thank you all for your support, hard work and professionalism.  Have a great week and a fantastic, well earned break when it comes.

Elaine