BEHAVIOUR

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy believes that outstanding behaviour and disruptive free learning is necessary for effective teaching to take place and for students to reach their potential. All staff aim to create and maintain an environment in the school which encourages and reinforces good behaviour. Furthermore, it is acknowledged that society expects good behaviour as an important outcome of the educational process.

In order to achieve outstanding Behaviour for Learning, the school requires parents/carers to support in the following ways:

• Support their child in fulfilling their responsibilities as a student, including attendance at relevant parental meetings.

• Communicating politely with the school through telephone, email, or letter.

• Supporting decisions made by the school in relation to promoting high expectations and good behaviour.

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Click here to view our term 5 summer update booklet for parents

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Mobile Phone and Smart Watch Guidance - to start in September

 

From September 2026, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy will be introducing
new arrangements for mobile phones during the school day.

This change reflects our commitment to providing the best possible
environment for learning, wellbeing and personal development. It also
aligns with the Department for Education's updated guidance on mobile
phones in schools, which encourages schools to take steps to reduce
distraction and support students to focus on learning.

Further information can be found in the Department for Education
guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phones-in
schools/mobile-phones-in-schools

Currently, students are expected to keep mobile phones switched off and
out of sight in their bags throughout the school day. While this expectation
is generally followed well, phones can still be accessed during social times,
creating distractions, contributing to friendship issues and online conflict,
and reducing students' engagement with those around them. We have
therefore decided to take the next step by introducing a secure storage
system that removes access to phones during the school day altogether.

Research increasingly highlights the impact that smartphones and social
media can have on concentration, learning, relationships and wellbeing. By
reducing access to phones during the school day, we aim to create a
calmer, more focused environment where students are fully engaged in
lessons, social interactions and wider school life.

How the system will work
Students who bring a mobile phone to school will place their switched-off
phone into a secure tutor-group storage box during morning tutor time.
Phones will be stored securely throughout the day and returned to students
during afternoon tutor time before they leave school.

Secure arrangements will also be in place for students who arrive late,
attend fixtures or educational visits, or need to leave school early. Medical
exemptions will be considered where there is a genuine need for a student
to retain access to a device during the school day. Any exemption requests
will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and agreed in consultation with
families and, where appropriate, relevant professionals.

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MOBILE PHONE AND SMART WATCHES
We recognise that many families choose for their child to carry a phone for
use before and after school, and this remains entirely your decision.
However, if a phone is brought onto the school site, it must be handed in
through the school's storage system at the start of the school day.

Use of mobile phones on trips will be at the discretion of the trip leader
and will be decided on a case by case basis.

Provided phones are switched off and stored through the school's
designated process, they will be covered by the school's insurance
arrangements whilst in our care.

Smart Watches
Smart watches with cellular, SIM, messaging, calling or internet
capability are not to be used in school.
Students may wear a watch for timekeeping purposes only and any
watch worn in school must function solely as a watch during the school
day.

Expectations
Arrive at school with their phone switched off.
Hand their phone in during tutor time if they have brought one to
school.
Leave their phone in secure storage until it is returned at the end of the
school day.
Follow staff instructions immediately regarding mobile phones and
smart watches.
Not to use a mobile phone at all whilst on the school premises.

We ask parents and carers to support these expectations by discussing the
arrangements with their child and reinforcing the importance of complying
with school procedures.

Consequences
The consequences for mobile phones remain the same. As a reminder,
students found using a mobile phone, or in possession of a mobile phone
during the school day, will receive a C3 sanction and the phone will be
confiscated.

Students who are instructed to hand over a phone and refuse to do so will
be treated as refusing a reasonable staff instruction. Where a student
refuses to hand over a phone that they are known to have in their
possession, this will result in placement in the Internal Exclusion Room
(IER).

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The same expectations and sanctions will apply to prohibited smart
watches.

Working together
We appreciate that this represents a significant change, but we believe it is
an important step in creating a calm, focused and distraction-free school
environment. Our aim is not simply to reduce phone use, but to support
students to engage fully in their learning, build positive relationships and
make the most of every school day.

Students will receive assemblies and tutor-time guidance before
implementation, and staff will work closely with them throughout the
transition period.

Thank you for your continued support as we introduce these new
arrangements.

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