SIX schools have joined together to issue a blanket ban on pupils bringing mobile phones and mp3 players with them.

Sue Murphy, headteacher at Shoeburyness High, one of the schools involved, said lessons had improved "phenomenally" since they barred the disruptive devices.

The other schools taking part are Cecil Jones College, Southend High for Boys, Southend High for Girls, Futures College, and St Nicholas's Special School.

Mrs Murphy said mobile phones and iPods not only distracted children from their lessons, but could also be used by bullies. She said: "They are banned from our school. If we see them, they are confiscated. I would say the majority of our parents support us.

"Phones and iPods are a menace. They are a huge distraction on learning and safety in school and they are valuable items. We don't want to take responsibility for them.

"Since we banned them, the learning environment has improved phenomenally."

Their lead is now being followed by many other schools in the borough. Lisa Clark, a receptionist at Eastwood School, said it also had a no-mobile phone policy.

She explained: "If they bring them in, they get confiscated and stored away in a safe.

"If their phones are ringing in class, it's going to interrupt everyone else. It's the same with iPods."

However, Andrew Baker, headteacher at Westcliff High for Boys, said he had not banned mobile phones completely.

He explained: "We used to have an outright ban, but we changed our policy because we decided to recognise the fairness of the parental point that sometimes, they are helpful for security. We do not make it an offence for a pupil to bring a phone in - only an offence to be disrupting the work of the school."

Lisa Moore, has sons aged 12 and 16 at Shoeburyness High. She said she had concerns, as children might not be able to contact parents after they left the school gates.

Mrs Moore, 34, of Saxon Gardens, Shoebury, said: "If they are coming out of school and they've got a problem, it's a good idea to be able to contact you.."

Sally Carr, Southend councillor responsible for children and learning, said it was unlikely the council would try to impose a blanket ban across its schools. She said: "It's up to the discretion of schools to create their own policies."