Dubbo schools ready for statewide ban on mobile phones

Dubbo schools are ready to crack down on screens as a statewide ban on mobile phones in public schools comes into force.

Charles Gauci, executive principal of Dubbo College, said the ban will be business-as-usual for students at Dubbo College Delroy and South campuses but will be an adjustment for Senior students.

"The senior campus will transition to basically the same rules as the junior campuses," he said.

"Which is that phones are turned off at the beginning of the day and kept away, whether it's in a bag or somewhere secure for them, and then they can turn them on at the end of the school day.

"Of course, parents can use their phones to contact them coming to school or after school, but just not during the school day."

The change at Dubbo College Senior Campus comes after a NSW government policy prohibiting phones in all public schools came into force on Monday, October 9.

"This ban creates a level playing field across all NSW public schools, and means students can focus on what's most important - learning in the classroom," education minister Prue Car said.

"It will help to provide more productive classrooms for students and teachers, reducing opportunities for distraction and cyberbullying.

"What we've heard from schools that already have bans in place gives me real confidence that this common sense measure will improve student learning and social development outcomes."

The ban will apply during class time, recess and at lunch. But, students will still be allowed to carry a phone while travelling to and from school.

Principals and teachers may authorise the use of phones for educational purposes or as part of a "reasonable adjustment" for student wellbeing, such as monitoring blood sugar levels for students with diabetes.

Mr Gauci said since a ban on phones was brought in at the junior campuses in 2019 there has been positive changes.

"Students are more active at recess and lunch time, interacting with each other, socialising far more effectively and certainly there are less distractions in the classroom," he said.

Even the students are on board.

"Marisha Blanco, the principal at the senior campus worked with her staff leading up to this up to the beginning of this term to make sure the students were well and truly educated," Mr Gauci said.

"It's not come as a shock to them. They understood the procedures and the feedback from the students at the time was very positive."

While the changes only apply to public schools, other schools in Dubbo already enforce "zero tolerance" policies for mobile phones.

Mandi Randell, principal of the Central West Leadership Academy, said since the school opened it has had a policy that phones cannot be used between 8:30am and 3:15pm, except when students require assistive technology.

"Teachers love the policy. While we have a 1:1 device program at our school, laptops are easier to track and manage in terms of blocking sites and checking user history," she said.

"It makes a huge difference in behaviour. Many students will start with us with a phone addiction, they can't be without it for 30 minutes.

"It helps all staff ensure that they use technology to learn and be present."

Macquarie Anglican Grammar School has also had a ban on phones in place since 2017. Students must have their phone out-of-sight during school hours.

"This policy and procedure was developed through surveying parents and staff and a review of the then-available research ... it is effective," headmaster Craig Mansour said.

Mr Gauci said parents wanting to get in touch with their children during school hours should contact the school's office.

"It's the same thing that has always happened - simply contact the office and we'll make sure either a message is passed on or will facilitate for the parents to speak with their child if that's what they need to do," he said.

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