From the beginning of Term 1 2024, all Queensland state school students must keep their mobile phones switched off and 'away for the day' during school hours. Notifications on wearable devices, such as smartwatches, must be switched off so that phone calls, messages and other notifications cannot be sent or received during school hours.
Students are permitted to bring mobile phones and wearable devices to school to:
• support safe travel to and from school
• make contact with parents, friends and part-time employers outside of the school day
This approach is being implemented in all Queensland state schools to help:
- reduce distractions in the classroom
- increase and improve face-to-face conversations and interactions between students
- promote student health and wellbeing
- reduce the potential for student exposure to negative impacts of the digital world, such as cyberbullying.