'Give them a smile not a mobile' says Sunderland headteacher who has banned parents from using phones
‘Greet them with a smile not a mobile’ says Sunderland headteacher Lindsay Robertson who has seen the positive impact of her decision to ban parents from using their mobile phones on school premises while picking up and dropping off their children.
Ms Robertson, Willow Wood Community Primary School, in Red House, said she introduced the rule over potential safeguarding concerns but also to “increase the interaction between children and their parents”.
She added: “One of biggest issues is not just children on digital devices, but also parents, particularly when coming to pick their children up.
“There’s obviously a potential safeguarding issue if a parent was making a video call which could pick up the image of a protected child coming out of the school.
“It was also preventing parents from having that natural interaction with their children. Rather than asking them about their day and what they had done, parents would be on their mobile phones.
“It’s something we’re all guilty of and it stops us socialising and interacting with other people. I wanted to ensure the children are always greeted with a smile and interaction when they finish the school day.”
Ms Robertson had signs fitted in the school grounds with mantra message Greet Your Child with a Smile not a Mobile.
As well as the signs, members of staff who are on duty will remind parents of the need to put their phones away while waiting for their children.
Claire Lonsdale, inclusion manager and well-being lead at the school, said: “The risk to some of our children around being on social media, including in the background to any photographs taken on the yard, can not be underestimated.”
Ms Robertson added: “We obviously understand a parent may have to take an important call about something like a medical appointment. If that’s the case, we just ask them to complete the call off-site and we keep the child in the classroom until they’re finished.”
She feels the rule has had a massive positive impact on the end of the school day, adding: “It has really worked and it’s great to see the children and their parents chatting away about their day when they get picked up.
“It has also encouraged more parents to chat to each other and many of them now walk to school and interact with each other.”
Ms Lonsdale added: “The quality interactions between parent and child can not be underestimated. We now see a greater number of conversations and interactions between parents and children at the beginning and the end of the day and this includes many more smiles.”
The school feels the response from parents since the rule was introduced has been “brilliant”.
Parent Becca Moran said: “I really think it’s a great idea and can't understand why any parent needs their phone out at school anyway.”
Fellow parent Abby Dixon added: “It’s nice to acknowledge your child and ask them how their day has been and to see them coming out with a smile.”
The rule has also been welcomed by the school’s children.
Year 6 pupil Jessica, 11, said: “We needed to ban them so children feel respected by their parents as they wont have seen them for a while and if parents are on their phones it will seem like they don't miss them and as children we will be upset.”
Classmate Fletcher, 11, said: “If parents are not on their phones they can ask how my day was. If they are on their phones they would not know what I had done.”
Grace, 11, added: “If parents are on the phone you may not feel that you are important.”