Mobile phones not the issue that needs addressing in Manchester schools say heads
manchestereveningnews.co.ukHeadteachers in Greater Manchester say the proposed ban on mobile phones in schools is 'a farce of an issue'. With Education Secretary Gillian Keegan using today's Conservative Party conference in Manchester to set out plans to ban phones from classrooms in England, leaders have been telling us there are far more urgent matters that need addressing in education.
While they acknowledge that mobile phone use is an issue among young people, it's often what is happening on them outside of school that causes the problems.
Like most secondary schools across our region and beyond, pupils at both Co-op Academy Walkden, in Salford, and Newman Catholic College, in Chadderton, Oldham, are fully aware that phones cannot be used throughout the day - that includes break times. READ MORE: Read more of the M.E.N's parenting content READ MORE: Ceiling falls in at former Wilko just hours after brand new Poundland opening Describing smartphones as 'attention hoovers', Co-op Academy's head Matt Hacker said phones in class would 'distract us from what matters most in school - learning and engaging with the curriculum'.
While Newman head Glyn Potts said a mobile phone ban has already been in place for 10 years now and blasted the announcement as 'a farce of an issue'.
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