Some of those in favour of smartphones say they provide good opportunities for child development, including socialising, and there is little evidence supporting restrictions of devices in schools.

Mr MacAlister is using the bill to call for:

a legal requirement for all schools to be mobile-free zones

the age online companies can receive data consent from children without permission from parents to be raised from 13 to 16

Ofcom’s powers to be strengthened so it can enforce a code of conduct to prevent children being exposed to apps and services “addictive by design”

further regulation of the design, supply, marketing and use of mobile phones by under-16s, if needed

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Children moving to secondary school may change the way they use their online space.

This guide is designed to keep parents/carers and their children informed so they can stay safe online

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What is ORM and why is it important?

Online Reputation Management (ORM) is about understanding and managing your digital footprint (everything that can be seen or read about your school online). You need to know it all – the positives and the negatives – and to create lots of the positives yourself with a visible and active online presence (including social media).

Few parents will apply for a school place without first ‘googling’ the school, and the Ofsted pre-inspection check
includes monitoring what is being said online (Mumsnet is a favourite). So whether a staff member or an external
agency is tasked with monitoring your footprint, you and your colleagues need to know!

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Vast amounts of personal, behavioural and academic data about children are being collected, processed and used by schools, local authorities, and the government every year.

But a recent review by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK of 50 websites and apps used by children found that only a third had “effective controls in place to limit the collection of personal information from children”.

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