Technology and social media
Mobile Phones and other smart devices are banned in NSW Public Primary Schools.
Our school resources students with laptops to use at school. Our technology infrastructure meets the latest standards.
We do not have a Bring Your Own Device program. This reduces costs for parents and ensures equity of access for students.
Our school does not have social media as we actively encourage our community to delay and minimise its use.
Wait Mate Movement
Wait Mate are a group of primary school parents brought together by a desire to avoid a phone-based future for their children and the belief that they have the power to make positive change.
Inspired by Wait Until 8th in the USA, they’ve created a not-for-profit Australian movement to halt the worrying statistics. Their only motive is to extend the nourishing, play-based childhood our children deserve and slow down, growing up.
It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of technology but it’s equally inspiring to recognise that the solution is in our hands. If we all take action and sign the pledge to hit pause on smartphones until (at least) high school, there will be less peer pressure and no reason to own one in primary school. This is the reason they've designed the pledge to connect you with like-minded parents in your child's specific school cohort so you can stand stronger, together.
They believe that now is the time to change the course of history and reverse the adverse mental health outcomes for our future teens. Delaying social media is not enough. We need to let our kids be kids for longer, without an addictive screen in their pockets. It begins with a simple, powerful act.
Find out more below.
Technology is a powerful tool that can be used to create or destroy knowledge and relationships. Social media is created for adults and by adults. Social media is not appropriate for children as many research articles (and the age limits set by these sites) make clear. Many gaming platforms also have social media type features and age restrictions.
Given that, at Mayfield West Demonstration School, we do not believe that placing children on social media or widely advertising what they are doing at school is safe or appropriate. We do not have, nor do we intend to get, social media pages for our school. We will continue to discuss how to use the internet safely, through the PDHPE curriculum and we will keep modelling the expectation that children remain off these sites and minimise their screen time.
There have been times when students from our school have communicated online, and parents have reported to us that bullying and other disturbing situations have arisen as a result. Whilst we will support students where we can, parents need to regulate access and to report directly to police. We remind parents and carers that in-game chats, apps (such as Snapchat and Messenger), and sites (such as Instagram) are all ways that children can communicate with each other and with strangers. We strongly discourage their use.
Visit the Office of the eSafety Commissioner for a range of helpful resources
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