The Hasmonean High School for Girls is installing lockers to stop pupils using mobile phones during the school day.

Katie Brice, headteacher of the Mill Hill school, told parents that girls would be required to put their phones in lockers after registration in the morning and collect them at the end of the day.

If a phone was found on a pupil after registration, it would be confiscated till the end of the following day.

A third offence would result in the phone being kept by the school till the end of term.

“We are aware that some girls will try to game the system by handing in a phone that is not their actual one,” she said.  “You and they need to be aware that we will not accept any special pleading if their ‘real’ phone is confiscated for a substantial period.”

Special arrangements would be made for girls who needed their phone for appointments during the school day