Mobile Phone and Electronic Usage Policy

Scoil Phádraig Naofa is a co-educational Catholic primary school under the patronage of the Bishop of Armagh.
We strive to create a loving, caring and nurturing environment conducive to the attainment of the true educational, spiritual and moral potential of each individual.
Our goal is to enable our children to become responsible individuals within their immediate communities and ultimately within society as a whole.

Rationale:
This policy was prepared in consultation with the staff, parents, Board of Management and the Student Council in order to clarify the rules regarding the children’s use of mobile phones and electronic devices in Scoil Phádraig Naofa.

School Procedures:

Children are not permitted to bring mobile phones or electronic devices to school, to school-related events in school, or to off site school-related activities.
No recordings of any kind with any electronic device are permitted without the expressed permission of the Principal and the knowledge of the teacher.
The only exception to this is where a parent has sought the permission of the Board of Management and has prior approval of the Board of Management.
A child who ignores this policy and brings a mobile phone or an electronic device to school, whether he/she uses it or not, will be required to hand over such a device to a member of staff.
Parents will be required to collect their mobile phone or electronic device from the Principal. The Principal will ask that any recordings made of school related activities be deleted before the electronic device will be released to the parents.

In exceptional circumstances and for use educationally within the school, parents may apply to the Board to seek permission for their child to use an electronic device in school. Parents must apply in writing to the Chairperson of the Board of Management stating specifically when and why the child requires an electronic device to be brought into and used in school.

Children who need to contact home during school hours may do so through the school secretary using the school landline phone. Parents who need to contact their child during school hours may do so by calling the school landline 042-93 39310 or send an email to
Children who are granted permission to bring an electronic device to school ( Children with SEN who have electronic devices to help them access the curriculum ) will place the device on the teacher’s table at the beginning of the day, to be retrieved by the child when given permission for the child to use it.

Parents will sign a form to indemnify the school against loss or damage and will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of any device that does not belong to the school.
The school accepts no responsibility for replacing lost, stolen or damaged mobile phones and electronic devices. The safety and security of mobile phones and electronic devices is wholly a matter for pupils/parents.

Guidelines and Procedures for Staff:

All staff should have their phones on them during the school day in case of emergency.
It is acknowledged that teachers and SNAs may need to be contactable by their family/their own children’s school etc. during the day. Staff personal calls on their mobile phones may be answered in cases of such emergencies.
The Principal/Deputy Principal may have her/his mobile phone turned on at all times when in classrooms, so that they are contactable by the office/staff (in case of emergency) at all times.
Staff personal mobile phones may also be used to contact the Principal/office in the case of an emergency in the classroom/yard/school outings etc.
Staff personal calls and texts are ordinarily confined to break times (but not while on yard duty).
Classroom supervision is usually organised if a class teacher has to contact other professionals or outside agencies in relation to a particular child.
The organisation of school events such as sporting games, events etc. and calls relating to school business may also be received and made on teacher’s personal phones during the school day, as well as the school landline.

School Trips, Outings and Events

· Children are not permitted to bring mobile phones and other personal devices with them on school trips and tours.
· Teachers will have a contact number for each parent in the event that it is necessary to make contact with a parent/guardian.
· Children are not permitted to bring any other form of electronic device with them on school tours or trips.
· Any pupil found using a mobile phone/electronic device/camera at after school activities or on school trips or tours will have them confiscated and such devices will not be returned until a parent/guardian collects them.

While at events such as Sports Evening, First Holy Communion, Confirmation and Christmas Concert, parents are responsible for their children- however it is expected that pupils do not use mobile phones during these occasions.

Roles and Responsibilities:
All aspects of this policy will be discussed with 3rd,4th,5th and 6th class children by the class teacher, the principal and the parents
The class teacher will have a list of the children who have permission from the Board of Management to bring an electronic device to school
Devices that are confiscated will be switched off and given to the principal for safe-keeping. Parents are expected to collect confiscated devices personally from the school office.

This policy is part of the school’s Code of Behaviour. A breach of this policy will be treated in the same way as any breach of the school’s Code of Behaviour

Using Devices/ mobile phones inappropriately- (Cyberbullying)

Children using mobile phones or electronic devices to bully other children or send offensive messages/calls outside school which impacts a child/children in school will face disciplinary actions as per the school’s Code of Behaviour
It should be noted that it is a criminal offence to use mobile phones and electronic devices to menace, harass or offend another person. As such, if action as sanctioned by the school in this regard is deemed ineffective, as with all such incidents, the school may consider it appropriate to involve the Gardaí and Tusla.

All staff share in the co-ordination and implementation of this policy.
A copy of the Mobile phone and Devices Policy is published on the school website.

Review Procedure
The policy will be reviewed regularly in the light of experience. It will be reviewed by the full staff and Board of Management every three years or when any adjustments to procedures need to be implemented. Next review of this policy will occur during the school year of 2026.

Ratification of Policy:
This policy was ratified by the Board of Management on 12th September 2024