The Graydonian Sentinel Vol. #5

TH E GRAYD O N IAN

SEN TIN EL Vol. #5

We Went PINK!

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS We forgot about the school colours for a worthy cause. On Friday, 4th October the students, teaching and non-teaching staff all donned the colour of the Breast Cancer Warriors.

The solidarity was amazing. Everyone embraced the caused and turned up in PINK. Thanks to the Small Business students and their teacher, Mr. Brian Parris, for proposing this admirable venture.

POSITIVE VIBES were the only vibes on display at Graydon Sealy Secondary School.

WARRIORS in PINK

ANNOUNCEMENTS Condolences to another one of our own, Ms. Yvette Griffith, on the death of her sister, Adalene Ifill. The Funeral will be held at Western Light Nazarene Church, Oxnards, St. James on Friday 11th October at 10:00 a.m. before proceeding to Mount Pleasant, St. Peter for burial.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.

NOTICES

THURSDAY

BSL Athletics training session – 3:00p.m. at the Garrison Savannah.

P.T.A. meeting today at 5:00 p.m.

MONDAY FRIDAY Meeting of the Teachers’ Professional Day Committee at 10:20 a.m. today in the principal’s office.

TUESDAY BSL Athletics training session – 3:00p.m. at the Garrison Savannah.

WEDNESDAY Almost there. Make each moment in the classroom count.

End of Week 5. Have a GREAT WEEKEND.

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS Happy birthday to the only October born for this week.

Sarai Brathwaite

HAVE A GREAT WEEK

School completely bans mobile

Have a read.

phones and teachers say kids' behaviour changes A school said its total ban on pupils using mobile phones has improved exam results

What do you think?

and behaviour.

The ban, which has been running for a year, has “made a massive difference” said Ann Webb, headteacher at Ysgol John Bright, in Llandudno .

The strict rule applies at any time during the school day, even during breaks or at lunchtime. Staff are also asked not to use mobile phones in front of pupils.

Mrs Webb said pupils are now more sociable and concentrate better in lessons.

And she claimed that the ban, which was introduced in 2018, helped pupils get better GCSE and A level results this summer.

At GCSE level, the school saw a 10% improvement on last year’s results with nearly a quarter of pupils getting five A* or A grades.

Maybe we would see a lot more of this if they put their phones away.

At A-level 79 per cent of students achieved A* to C grades with 62 per cent getting at least one A and 11 per cent three As. “I can’t envisage us ever going back to allowing the pupils to bring out their mobile

Just a thought…

phones now,” said Mrs Webb.

“Because they’re not glued to their phones when they arrive at school, they have to engage in social communication and when

The only exception is the sixth form who are allowed

they go to the library they’re looking at books

to use their mobile phones in their social areas.

instead of their phones or they’re discussing things with their peers.

Chair of governors Carla Forfar said: “It’s probably no accident that we’ve had some cracking results this

“It’s also made a difference to engagement in lessons because the phones are not available as a distraction.”

summer, both at A level and GCSE. “This is all about raising the standards of the school universally and there is research out there that suggests that schools that do ban mobile phones have

If any pupil is caught using a mobile phone anywhere on the campus it is confiscated until the end of the

an uplift in performance because students are more engaged and concentrating in lessons and learning.”

school day.

Their parent or carer is contacted if this keeps happening and the phone will not be returned until they come in to pick it up.

The “black and white rule” is strictly enforced.

“We have a team of staff outside the entrance, to the school in the morning, all very visible and all children

Ysgol John Bright

are required to switch their phones off and put it into their bags,” said Mrs Webb.

“The rest of our staff are out on corridors in the morning talking to students, talking to each other and just making sure that rule is enforced.

“To be fair once we’ve got this rule established it is just not an issue during the school day at all. You will not see a student with a mobile phone.

Ysgol John Bright Headteacher Ann Webb

“I genuinely think the pupils have welcomed the break

Story taken from:

from social media and, because the situation is clear

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/mob ile-phone-ban-school-llandudno-16945279

cut, everybody complies. It’s a black and white rule that’s applied consistently.”