Dear Parent / Carer,
We will be making our school a phone-free space to improve teaching and learning using a system called Yondr. Yondr has been implemented in thousands of schools across 35 countries to facilitate an engaged learning environment and we are confident Yondr will have a positive impact here as well.
We believe that phones have great utility. We have also found that learning and social behavior improve drastically when students are fully engaged with their teachers and classmates.
The Yondr Program utilises a simple, secure pouch that stores a phone. Every student will secure their phone in a Yondr pouch when they arrive at school. Students will maintain possession of their phones and will not use them until their pouches are opened at the end of the school day and the pouches remain in school. Should students wish to have their own allocated pouch which they bring to / take home from school each day there will be a deposit payable and a contract drawn up between ourselves and parents who will be taking responsibility for maintaining the condition of the pouch. If you would like more details about this please contact me directly via the email address at the end of this email.
Yondr recently surveyed over 900 school partners to measure the effects of creating phone-free educational environments. These schools achieved notable progress in multiple areas:
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65% of schools saw an improvement in academic performance
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74% of schools saw an improvement in student behavior
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83% of schools saw an improvement in student engagement in the classroom
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86% of schools saw a positive impact on student safety and wellness
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly by email, or attend one of our upcoming meeting about the adoption of Yondr - Thursday 11th September - 4pm
If there is an emergency and you would like to get in contact with your child, please call main reception and your call will be directed to the appropriate member of staff - 0113 3807940 or email the school at - leed-info@coopacademies.co.uk
In an effort to best serve your child, we appreciate your full support in adoption of the Yondr Program at our school.
Yours Sincerely
Mrs J Field
Deputy Headteacher
jessica.field@coopacademies.co.uk
How Yondr Works
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I want to reach my child during the school day?
We want our students to be engaged in their learning. If you need to contact your child during the school day, contact the main office at 0113 3807940.
What if there is a school emergency?
In case of a school emergency, we direct our students to safety first, following our school emergency preparedness protocol.
Will my student’s phone be safe?
Students are in possession of their phone - in their Yondr pouch - for the entire school day. We will advise students to store the pouch safely in their backpacks or blazer pockets.
What if the Yondr pouch gets damaged or a student is caught on their phone?
If a student damages their Pouch or is caught on their phone, we will collect the phone/Pouch and call home and the Parent will need to come to the school and pick up their child’s phone. A 30 minute detention will also be issued to the child.
Damaged pouches will be billed to parents at a cost of £25
Note: Damage consists of any signs that the physical integrity of the pouch has been compromised, whether intentional or unintentional, as determined by the school or Yondr staff.
How quick is the unlocking process?
The unlocking process is quick, and takes under a second per student. While students are still getting used to how to unlock pouches, staff will be on hand with mobile unlocking stations to stop queues forming in the first few weeks. If needed we will add extra unlocking points.
