Words: John Baron
More than 2,100 people have signed a petition calling on Gorse Academies Trust to relax strict rules surrounding pupils’ mobile phone usage.
The petition argues that the Trust’s current policy of confiscating students’ phones for 48 hours if they’re used anywhere on school grounds is a safeguarding issue.
The trust runs Farnley Academy alongside 10 other schools in Leeds, including Ryecroft Academy in Farnley.
Concerned parent Rosanna O’Brien organised the petition, which states:
“Parents of pupils within the GORSE Academies Trust want to be reassured their children have access to contact them or a responsible adult in case of an emergency as soon as their school day is over and we believe that it is in our child’s best interest that the mobile phone confiscation rule within the positive discipline policy is revised.”
The petition calls for a confiscated phones to be returned at the end of the school day, not a 48-hour confiscation. It also says the ban on using mobile phones on the public footpath leading up to the school gates of Farnley Academy needs to be removed. The petition concludes:
“The removal of a child’s mobile phone after the school day has ended is a safeguarding issue.”
The petition follows a report of a serious sexual assault on a child on a woodland path running between Farnley Academy and Maple Croft in Farnley on Wednesday. The reported incident has since been found to be false by police.
A spokesperson from Gorse Academies Trust said the trust had no plans to revise its mobile phone policy, saying it was rare for a phone to be confiscated from a pupil and that parents were made aware when this happens.
In a statement issued to West Leeds Dispatch, the Trust said:
“Our behaviour policy provides clear instructions to students and their families on our expectations around the use of mobile phones. It is extremely rare for a phone to be confiscated but when it does happen during the school day, parents are made aware. We do not believe that a change in our rules surrounding mobile phones is required at this time but we keep all policies under constant review, including this one.”
Parents previously criticised Gorse Academies Trust’s mobile phone police in November, with Leeds Live reporting on their concerns over students’ safety.
UPDATE 2.28pm Monday 10 January: This article was amended to clarify that the alleged sexual assault on Wednesday was proven to be a false report to police.
I have to support your concern in relation to John Townsley and the Gorse Academies Trust but he has been doing this since 2008.
The present concern is that The Gorse Academies Trust have Off rolled 102 children over the last 3 years.26 children are from Farnley Academy.Although Off rolling is a legal process we are campaigning to stop Schools implementing this stratagy.We believe that it is used to increase the results of G.C.S.E exams.
You may also be aware that Jordon Burling was off rolled from Farnley Academy and was found starved to death at home (2016).The report of his death was delayed again and it is expected in February 2022.I am happy to speak to anyone who may want to get involved in our campaign.
If you know any child who has been educated at home and achieved level 5 in their Maths and English please let me know.We feel that most children are NEET,groomed,prison or dead,please ask parents to respond to the Leeds City Council,Scrutiny Board meeting (children and families) on 26th January 2022 at the Civic Hall (10am).
Farnley academy could of being the bigger people here and said we realise our policy is deluded and the safety of our pupils is a priority as a result we have revised our policy and our scrapping after school detentions