The NSW Department of Education is committed to creating engaging and effective classrooms, and inclusive and safe school communities for all NSW public school students. The Department’s Student Use of Digital Devices and Online Services policy supports NSW public school communities to manage students’ use of digital devices and online services. It promotes the learning, safety and wellbeing of students and the management of any risk of harm and distraction. Our school procedure must include any mandatory requirements set out in the policy, including any restrictions, the need to make reasonable adjustments and to consider exemptions for individual students.
Primary schools (mandatory)
The use of digital devices by primary school students (personal or school provided) must be restricted during class, recess and lunch unless:
• approved by a teacher or principal for an educational purpose
• use forms part of a reasonable adjustment for student learning and wellbeing
• an exemption has been granted for other reasons.
Principals have discretion to make decisions about student use of digital devices in all other school related settings, including before and after school. Contexts and settings where the policy applies may include:
• before and after school
• on school grounds or in designated spaces
• on excursions and other school events such as camps
• on other educational sites such as TAFE and high schools
Roles, rights and responsibilities
Students, parents and carers, principals, teachers and non-teaching staff all have a role to ensure students use digital devices and online services in safe, responsible and respectful ways.