Cardiff West Community High School in Ely has made an impressive turnaround. The mobile phone ban and the shouting ban have created a significantly different atmosphere among students. St Matthew’s head teacher Mike Tate decided on these changes last year to address violence driven by social media. His aim was to see increased attention and concentration in the classroom. The results, according to the school, have been nothing short of amazing with almost violent exclusions down by 72% since the implementation of the policy.
Students like Lanre have told their stories, reaching into their own experiences to explain how these changes have improved their day-to-day school life. In the past, Lanre would frequently eat lunch by himself, barely able to form relationships with other students. Since the ban, he’s noticed that it’s easier for him to find friends. He has seen dramatic changes in his social life and has benefited from a much more accepting climate at school.
The effort does more than nurture connections among girls, it helps them get involved in athletics. Lanre is a regular participant in athletics and other sports, enjoying the health benefits and sense of community, socializing with his classmates. The change in the climate of the school has resulted in students feeling safer and more connected to each other.
Mike Tate introduced these changes as a proactive measure to combat the rise in altercations fueled by social media interactions among students. To focus students’ efforts and ensure they were making the most of their time in school, he banned distractions like cell phones from schools and classrooms. The important drop in violent exclusions speaks volumes about how successful these measures were.
Erin Lister was instrumental in capturing the story of the school’s metamorphosis. She created a new video that shows the real-life benefits of those policy changes. The resulting footage intimately showcases students’ testimonials and the current passion for community—both the education kind and the local kind—within Cardiff West Community High School.
