Cell Phones Away for the Day at Hutt Valley High School
Updated 16 October 2026
In 2024, the government introduced new regulations requiring schools to restrict students’ cell phone access. The law requires that schools ensure students do not use or access a phone while attending school, including during lunchtime and breaks.
Under Regulation 22 of the Education (School Boards) Regulations 2020, all state and state-integrated schools and kura are required to restrict students’ cell phone access at school. Accordingly, Hutt Valley High School enforces rules and procedures to restrict student cell phone access during the school day.
HVHS’s Rules for ‘Cell Phones Away for the Day’
- Cell phones are prohibited across the entire school site from 8:30am to 3:30pm, including classes, mentor time, interval, lunchtime, and education outside the classroom e.g. camps, field trips, sports exchanges.
- Cell phones must be left at home, or if brought to school, turned off and placed in the classroom’s cell phone pocket or box during lessons, and remain in bags (unseen and unheard) during breaks.
HVHS’s Procedures for ‘Cell Phones Away for the Day’
- Teachers will remind students of the cell phone rules at the start of every lesson. Students will turn their cell phones off and place them in a classroom’s cell phone pocket or box.
- Cell phones will not be available during the lesson.
- Cell phones will be returned at the end of the spell.
- Cell phones will not be returned to students going to the bathroom or using a Mauri Ora card.
- Students leaving class for an appointment should take their bags and cell phones. When they return to class, the above processes are followed.
- Students should take their bags and cell phones with them if there is an emergency evacuation.
- If cell phones need to be used for a learning activity, this will be at the teacher’s discretion. Cell phone usage will be supervised.
Exemptions to HVHS’s Cell Phone Rules & Procedures
We understand that students may need to use their cell phones during class to support an immediate health need e.g. students who use an insulin monitoring app or have hearing aids connected to their cell phones. To apply for an exemption, please email Lana Goddard (Principals’ PA) at office@hvhs.school.nz.
Procedure for Breaches of HVHS’s Cell Phone Rules & Procedures
- Examples of students disregarding the cell phone rules include refusing to put their cell phone in the holder, using their cell phone in class, hiding their cell phone, carrying two cell phones and putting a ‘dummy’ phone in the classroom’s cell phone pocket or box.
- If they disregard these rules, students will be immediately asked to report to the Senior Leadership offices with their cell phones, where they will meet with a Deputy Principal.
- If a student is sent to meet with a Deputy Principal, their cell phone will be retained and can be collected at the end of the day for a first offence.
- Parents will be notified if a student is sent to the Senior Leadership Team more than once. This behaviour will be considered defiance, and the next steps will be discussed. For example, students may be required to submit their cell phones to the Senior Leadership Team at the start of the school day to be returned at 3:15pm for one or more school days.
- Further school discipline procedures will be followed if the behaviour continues despite the steps above.
Contacting Your Student During the School Day
If a parent or caregiver needs to contact their student urgently during the school day, please call the office at (04) 566 4584. The school has student runners and staff who will ensure emergency messages are passed on promptly.
Generally, it would be easier if students left their cell phones at home for the school day. However, we understand that this is not always possible.
We expect all digital devices to be used for kind and sensible purposes. Any sort of bullying or taking photos or videos without permission will be dealt with through the school’s behaviour management guidelines.