Ensuring the safety and full engagement of all participants

Prept. Foundation Mobile Phone & Smart Device Policy for Educational Visits

1. Purpose

This policy outlines the appropriate use of mobile phones, smart devices such as smart watches and any wearable recordable devices during educational visits organised by Prept. Foundation. The policy aims to ensure the safety, well-being, and full engagement of all participants.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all students, staff, volunteers, and visitors involved in educational visits.

3. Student Mobile Phone & Smart Device Use

• Students are discouraged from bringing mobile phones and smart devices on educational visits.
• Wearable cameras are not permitted.
• If a student needs to bring a mobile phone or smart device for safety reasons, it must remain switched off and stored securely during activities unless permission is granted by a supervising adult.
• Students must not use mobile phones or smart devices for taking photos, recording videos, or accessing social media during the visit unless permission is granted by a supervising adult.
• On occasion, teaching staff may grant student phone use to take a photo of their work (this will be checked and monitored by school staff to ensure it only includes their plate of food/ingredients and complies with Prept safeguarding policy).
• In case of emergency, students may use their mobile phones or smart devices with staff permission.

4. Staff and Volunteer Mobile Phone & Smart Device Use

• Staff and Volunteers should only use mobile phones and smart devices for emergency purposes and essential communication related to the visit.
• Personal device use should be limited to breaks and private moments, ensuring full attention is given to student supervision.
• Any photography or recording must comply with the charity’s safeguarding policy and have prior consent.
• Prept Staff/School Staff on occasion may use their mobile devices to gather media content from sessions, subject to the relevant permissions. This must be loaded to secure OneDrive/School systems and deleted from personal phones on the same working day as taken. No photos or media content are to be stored on mobile devices.
• Prept. Foundation has final authority on what photos/videos can be taken and used during any session (in-class and off-site).

5. Emergency Contact and Communication

• A designated staff member will carry a mobile phone for emergency contact with the charity and parents/guardians.
• The lead will be provided with the charity’s emergency contact number.

6. Breach of Policy

• Any misuse of mobile phones, smart devices or wearable recordable devices by students will result in Prept. Foundation requiring the school lead to confiscate the device(s) until the end of the visit.
• This action will be taken only where it can be demonstrated as a lawful and appropriate disciplinary measure.
• Staff or volunteers found misusing mobile phones or smart devices will be subject to internal review.

7. Review and Compliance

• This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary.
• Compliance with this policy is mandatory for all participants in educational visits.

Confidentiality and Safeguarding

All mobile phone, smart device and recordable device use must comply with the charity’s safeguarding policies to protect the welfare of students and staff.