Dear Parents and Carers
Thank you again for all your feedback on the mobile phone proposal from September, your engagement is very much appreciated and some of the points you raised were very helpful and have shaped our rollout procedures. I have manged to respond individually to every communication that was sent. Again, if there is anything that you would like to contact me on going forward regarding this then please do not hesitate to contact me. The comments from yourselves were overwhelmingly supportive and again many of you just wanted to know a little bit more about how it would work.
Taking on board all the feedback I have received form staff, students and parents/carers I am pleased to announce that we will proceed with the pouches from September with a company called PhoneLocker. Please have a look at the webpage Homepage – Lockable Phone Pouch We will be doing a formal launch of the product to explain what it is your child will receive in terms of the pouch and how it will all work, and, we will be inviting you in for an information evening in due course.
Mr Kinsey and Mr Leonard are the Operational Leads on this new strategy, as why we are using them directly will impact Standards, Behaviours, Attitudes, Well-being and Teaching & Learning, which are the areas they lead on. I will oversee everything from a strategic standpoint and liaise with you, so your voice is heard and you feel fully supported as we transition to this next phase in our journey to excellence.
The mobile strategy is part of our wider drive for high standards and the relaunch I mentioned a few weeks back in the Head’s Herald. As you can appreciate in order for this relaunch to work and for us to implement the mobile phone pouches there are some logistical complexities and a few things will need to change; for example, the entrance for students will have to be different as we will have to check that mobile phones are correctly locked in their pouches on entrance to the school. Another example being that uniform has to be right and so no one slips through the net, then we need support on entry. Rather than us trying to do this come September we are going to try the new entrance procedures and standards checks before we finish for the Summer. These changes will start from Monday 30th June 2025.
From Monday 30th June, students will only be allowed into school via the student entrance off Knutsford Road. They will not be allowed in through the Ball Hall or via the front of school, unless they are late. There will be a member of staff on that gate every morning. We will be moving to a single-entrance approach each morning, seeing the removal of all lines. The KS4 toilet external doors will be the only entrance and these will be staffed by SLT and Pastoral. This change will help us ensure all students are ‘ready to learn’ by checking uniform, equipment, and overall preparedness upon arrival. It is also a proactive step is in preparation for the new academic year, during which we will also implement mobile phone pouches.
The doors will be opened at 08.10 and those arriving early can sit in the Canteen (Year 7, 8 and 9) and Orangery (Year 10). From 08.20, students can make their way to Form Time, where Tutors will be available to supervise in their room.
At 08.25, all students make their way to Form. After 08.30, students are recorded as late. At the front door we will check uniform and appearance, then moving forward in September we will check ISP and pencil cases. In September mobile phones will be checked too, once the new system is up and running.
Tutors will still be responsible for equipment checks and reporting issues as per the current system. Students who have been challenged on the door in relation to a uniform or appearance issue that is unresolved, must receive a standards/uniform card which will inform Tutors.
If a student rides a bike to school, they will continue to head towards the Ball Hall where they will be met by a member of staff. They will then park their bike and then return to the front of building and enter via the KS4 doors. They will not be allowed in through the entrance nearest the Ball Hall. Also, the big metal gates near there will remain shut and not opened until the end of the school day. It is really important that all bikes are locked within our perimeter.
If a student attends Breakfast Club before 08.10, they must arrive via Reception and we will sign them in and do the checks.
The students should really not get this wrong, given the rules around standards have not changed and have been communicated out many times. Where a student makes poor choices, demonstrating defiance or failure to follow basic school rules, the sanctions system will be applied. Defiance and a poor response can lead to isolation, off-site direction to another school or even suspension. Repeat offenders will attend an SLT behaviour and standards panel or even a Governor panel where necessary. Parents and carers in these cases will be formally reminded that their child is attending school ill-prepared, and this disadvantages them in comparison to their peers and that is why we drive our High Expectations, High Aspirations and High Standards in order to succeed. Consistency and Certainty is the key to success!
The students are being fully briefed on this all week in preparation for Monday.
I understand and appreciate there is a lot of information for you to digest and again if there are any questions then please do not hesitate to contact me. I will always make time for you and you can always come to me directly on bscott-herron@boteler.org.uk
Yours faithfully
Beverley Scott-Herron
Headteacher