Western Sydney Catholic Schools hold the phone

Student mobile phone use will be banned across 80 Western Sydney Catholic schools from the beginning of the 2026 school year. The restriction presents a positive opportunity to enhance student outcomes, both in academic excellence and wellbeing.

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Chief Executive Officer Jack de Groot feels that consistent restrictions with clear parameters are necessary to support both students and staff.

“Though the majority of our schools already have a phones-off-and-away approach, it’s important to make clear that this is the right approach for all our students,” Jack said. “Of course, there is a place for mobile phones in our lives, but that’s not at school.”

Parent representative George Giovas agrees that school is not the place for mobile phones.

”It is important to have a consistent, proactive and collaborative approach to the issue of mobile phones,” George said.

The safety and wellbeing of all our children and teachers during school is paramount. This is something that needs to be understood, respected and adhered to.

With the social media ban for children and young people under 16 coming into effect in December, the move to restrict phone use feels particularly timely. It also provides an opportunity to encourage students to prioritise real-world interactions and build social skills accordingly. School staff will receive support in implementing this policy throughout the school day, including guidance on appropriate consequences for breaches.

Of course, a small number of carefully considered exceptions to these rules will be allowed. For example, some students with diabetes use mobile phone apps to monitor their blood sugar levels and require access to a phone for safety reasons. Digital literacy will continue to be valued, but the ban certainly supports boundary-setting and perspective.

The Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Student Use of Mobile Phones and other Digital Devices at School Policy is available here

Written By

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au

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Over the last decade, mindfulness has been slowly rising in popularity with many individuals practising it on a regular basis. Evidence based research has found that there are many benefits to mindfulness which has prompted schools across the nation to implement this practice into their daily routines. Mindfulness can be described as attention training for your brain, enabling you to focus on something without judgement and to stimulate curiosity. Mindfulness can be practised in a number of ways and is something that can be done by everyone - no matter what your age! It has been practised by many cultures around the world, but it is not exclusively affiliated to any particular philosophy or religion. Mindfulness helps improve memory, engagement and performance. Its positive effect on the brain can improve immunity, mental wellbeing, learning ability, emotional health and even, time management. It is especially important in this era of information overload as our attention is constantly being pulled in many directions making us more distracted. In this edition of SchoolTV, parents can learn the best way to introduce this mindfulness to their children, implementing into their daily lives to have an overall positive impact on family relationships. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help. Here is the link to the Mindfulness edition of SchoolTV