FAQs

In April 2024 the Department for Education issued guidance to schools nationwide to ban mobile phones from schools, with the effective management of this policy to be determined by the school. For some time, we have advocated this policy with varying degrees of success. To ensure full compliance and enable parent/student contact to and from school we will be introducing the mandatory use of the Hush Pouch for those wishing to bring their mobile phone to school.

All years [7-11] inclusive.

Upon arrival at school students will place their phone in the Hush Pouch and clip shut and the pouch will remain with the student all day. The pouch uses signal blocking technology so will prevent communication with any accessories. Each morning staff will ensure students have securely locked their phones in their Hush Pouch.

At the end of the day, upon leaving school students will tap their pouch against one of multiple unlocking stations situated at designated areas to remove their mobile phone for their journey home.

Students will need to hand their phone into the [SLT] on arrival to school and collect it at the end of the day. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned in the same way we impose inappropriate use of mobile phones now.

Under strict circumstances a teacher will have access to an unlocking station, although we anticipate this being a rare occurrence.

Parents will be expected to contact the school directly and depending on the emergency school staff will locate the child.

We will adopt a flexible approach, depending on the excursion – this will be clearly communicated in detailed letter related to the school trip.

There will be sufficient unlocking stations positioned around the school, predominately at the exits. Form Tutors, Heads of Departments, and the school office will have mobile unlocking stations for emergency use.

Spare Hush Pouches will be located at school and available on temporary basis. In this situation the student will be expected to borrow a pouch for the day from the school office. If the student’s Hush has been lost or damaged beyond use, a new Hush Pouch can be purchased from the school for £30.

Students will be expected to lock their mobile phone into the hush pouch upon arrival at school, as normal.

All malfunctions will be reviewed at the discretion of the school administrator and replaced. Pouches rendered unusable due to malicious damage will be replaced at the parents’ cost.

The phone will be handed to the [SLT] and the student will receive appropriate disciplinary action.

As students are expected to connect to the internet via the school website where no MFA is required.

The student retains the Hush Pouch for use the following year, if the student is leaving the school at the end of the school, the Hush is to be handed in to the school for recycling.

Please email the school administration team who will forward Hush the enquiry if they are unable to facilitate you.