A HEADTEACHER has backtracked on claims she had invested in new technology to block mobile phone data signals after discovering the illegality of the equipment.

Headteacher Julia Polley at Wensleydale School and Sixth Form College, in Leyburn, was fed up of pupils spending more time hooked to their phones than concentrating on their lessons, so she told parents she would be blocking 4G internet.

However, while Mrs Polley was looking into how she could stop students from abusing social media in school, she had not yet purchased any technology and on gaining advice from North Yorkshire County Council’s IT support team and Ofcom, has realised it is not possible.

By transmitting signals on the frequencies at which GSM and UMTS operations are conducted, mobile phone jammers make it impossible for a handset located within their range of action to make or receive calls, send messages or use mobile internet.

Such technology is illegal because jammers are likely to affect wider areas and other frequencies than those they are intended for. They can also result in the disruption of emergency and rescue radio services in the public area.

Ofcom has said it is a criminal offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act to use any apparatus for the purposes of deliberately interfering with radio communications in the UK.

The frustrated headteacher had threatened to use similar equipment after a serious fall-out between a group of Year 11 girls who had been using phones to make inappropriate posts on Facebook and other social media during lessons.

She said this had resulted in some pupils being more interested in other people’s arguments and gossiping than their studies.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire County Council said: "Many schools, as with Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, have to deal with the consequences of social media issues spilling over into school life and distracting students from teaching and learning.

"Wensleydale School and Sixth Form’s senior staff have spent many hours recently talking to individual students in Year 11 about their part in a social media 'campaign' and friendship fall-out which occurred over the Christmas period and has continued into the beginning of the school term.

"The school also consulted NYCC's schools ICT service to explore options. As a result the school took the precaution of closing down the guest Wi-Fi which has greater access to social media sites, and sent letters to parents asking for their support in “trying to eradicate unnecessary and damaging social media use in school. The letters also warned of consequences for students who persisted in using their phones in school for social media activities."

Mrs Polley said: “All students need to be able to come into school feeling safe and be able to concentrate on the next 13 weeks of study and revision. "I will take much stronger exclusion action on any further social fall-outs which impact on school life and ask parents to support us by monitoring mobile phone usage at home.”