Drugs Guidance For Schools

Drugs: Guidance for Schools

Under Consultation until 15 February 2010

Who the guidance is for

• All staff, particularly senior managers, the person responsible for coordinating drug issues within the school and staff who teach drug education.

• It applies to primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units (PRUs) in England.

KEY MESSAGES

Key Messages – Staff Awareness

• All school staff should receive drug awareness training, understand the school’s drug policy and their role in implementing the policy.

• Senior managers should ensure that staff have access to high-quality support and continuing professional development opportunities. Schools should ensure that pupils vulnerable to drug misuse are identified and receive appropriate support either from within the school or through referral to other services.

• Schools should be aware of and establish clear referral protocols with the range of relevant agencies providing support to pupils vulnerable to drug misuse.

Key Messages – Drug Education• All schools should have a drug education programme which is

developmental and appropriate to the age, maturity and ability of pupils.

• Drug education should be delivered within the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum Science Order and as part of PSHE education. It is most effective when supported by a whole school approach.

• Drug education should cover all drugs and, when appropriate, should focus on drugs of particular significance to pupils such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, volatile substances and Class A drugs .

• The programme should be based on pupils’ views and build on their existing knowledge and understanding.

• Drug education should be taught by skilled and confident teachers.

Key Messages – Drug Policy

• All schools should have a drug policy which sets out the school’s role in relation to all drug matters – both the content and organisation of drug education, and the management of drugs within school boundaries.

• Schools should appoint a designated senior member of staff with overall responsibility for all drug issues within the school.

• The drug policy should be developed in consultation with the whole school community including pupils, parents/carers, staff, governors and partner agencies.

Key Messages – Drug Incidents

• All schools should have agreed a range of responses and procedures for managing drug incidents, which are understood by all members of the school community, and documented within the drug policy.

• Schools should make clear that the possession, use or supply of illegal and other unauthorised drugs (including alcohol) within school boundaries is unacceptable.

• Schools and police should establish an agreed policy which clarifies roles and mutual expectations before incidents occur.

Actions

• Headteachers and other senior staff will want to:– review existing drug education provision in the

school– review the school’s drug policy consulting staff,

governors, parents/carers and pupils– consider whether the needs of vulnerable young

people are being identified and if appropriate links have been made with relevant agencies

– consider staff training and support needs.

DRUG EDUCATION

Age Appropriate and Spiral Curriculum

• Drug education should start in primary schools and the primary age classes of special schools. It should continue throughout a child’s development, with topics and issues being included which are appropriate to the age and maturity of pupils and revisited over time. The overall programme should be coordinated across the curriculum and from year to year.

• The transition from primary to secondary is particularly important; drug education in Years 7 and 8 should reinforce and build upon drug education in primary schools.

Links to PSHE Education

• PSHE education is central to schools’ responsibilities to promote pupils' good health and wellbeing...

• Links between drugs and other areas of PSHE education, for example emotional health and wellbeing and sex and relationship education, should also be made. This is particularly relevant to young people as their use of drugs, especially alcohol, can have an impact on their relationships and on sexual activity and sexual health. Exploring the effect of alcohol on decision-making may be particularly helpful.

A well-structured curriculum• There are some units of work focused on drug education for each

year • There is progression year-on-year, building on earlier learning• Topics are introduced in a logical order• Emotional and social skills and development of values is included

as well as knowledge and understanding• There is discrete time for drug education and adequate allocation

for PSHE education in the timetable• Links with other curriculum subjects can be anticipated and used

to enrich learning• Learning outcomes are documented• Opportunities for assessment of learning are built in

Principles

• Factually accurate and evidence-based• Age-appropriate• Relevant, providing clear messages about the

impact of drug use• Inclusive, promoting equality and acceptance

of diversity

Teaching Methods• ensure that every pupil succeeds: provide an inclusive education

within a culture of high expectations• build on what learners already know: structure and pace teaching so

that students know what is to be learnt and how • make learning vivid and real: develop understanding through enquiry,

e-learning and group problem-solving• make learning an enjoyable and challenging experience: stimulate

learning by matching teaching techniques and strategies to a range of learning styles

• enrich the learning experience: infuse learning skills across the Curriculum

• promote assessment for learning: make children partners in their learning.

Schools using External Contributors• clear about the desired learning outcomes before deciding who is best able to

help achieve them• the external contribution is integrated into the school’s programme• the external contributors are competent educators and facilitators and do not

provide input outside their area of expertise • where possible, pupils are involved in the preparatory and follow-up work• the content of lessons is negotiated and consistent with the overall aims of the

drug education programme• the contribution is grounded in a pupil-centred approach to learning• all external contributors are fully aware of the school’s values and approach to

drug education, the drug and other relevant policies, including those covering confidentiality, disclosure and child protection, to ensure that their approach is consistent with that of the school

• all external contributors are aware of their roles, responsibilities and boundaries

Involving Parents and Carers

• Ensure that parents and carers are:– made aware of the school’s approach and rationale

for drug education– involved in the planning and review of the drug

education programme and policy– given information about their child’s drug education

and school rules in relation to drugs– encouraged to support their child’s learning at home– able to access information about drugs and local and

national sources of help

THE SCHOOL DRUG POLICY

Purpose• clarify the legal requirements and responsibilities of the school• reinforce and safeguard the health, wellbeing and safety of pupils and others who use

the school • clarify the school’s approach to drugs for all staff, pupils, governors, parents/carers,

external agencies and the wider community• give guidance on developing, implementing and monitoring the drug education

programme• enable staff to manage drugs on school premises, and any incidents that occur, with

confidence and consistency, and in the best interests of those involved• ensure that the response to incidents involving drugs complements the overall approach

to drug education and the values and ethos of the school• provide a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of the school drug education programme

and the management of incidents involving illegal and other unauthorised drugs• reinforce the role of the school in contributing to local and national strategies.• set out the arrangements for collaboration and communication with local agencies

offering targeted and specialist support for young people in need and their families

DRUG INCIDENTS

Dealing with illegal drugs• In taking temporary possession and disposing of suspected illegal drugs

schools are advised to: – ensure that a second adult witness is present throughout – seal the sample in a plastic bag and include details of the date and time of the

seizure/find and witness present. Some police forces provide schools with drug bags for this purpose

– store it in a secure location, such as the school safe or other lockable container with access limited to two senior members of staff

– without delay notify the police, who will collect it and then store or dispose of it in line with locally agreed protocols. The law does not require a school to divulge to the police the name of the pupil from whom the drugs were taken. Where a pupil is identified the police will be required to follow set internal procedures

– record full details of the incident, including the police incident reference number (see section 6.7)

– inform parents/carers, unless this would jeopardise the safety of the pupil.• School staff should not attempt to analyse or taste unknown substances.

School trips

• Schools should prepare their policy on and procedures for the disposal of suspected illegal drugs and on dealing with alcohol while on school trips and ensure that these are clearly understood by all.