Drugs policy

 

DRUGS EDUCATION POLICY

 

 

The school has a clear and unambiguous statement that illegal drugs and certain legal drugs, may not be brought onto its campus (Appendix 2).

 

 

 

The purpose of the policy

 

The purpose is to:

 

 

 

Development process

 

The consultation process in the development of this policy has involved staff (teaching and non-teaching), pupils, governors and relevant community based agencies, including a representative of the LEA and the school’s community police officer.

 

 

This is an open policy which is available to all people connected with the school.

 

 

The context of the policy and its relationship to other policies

 

This policy should be used along side the school’s Behaviour Policy, Safety Policy and Child Protection Policy.

 

 

Local and national guidance

 

This policy has been prepared and drawn together using the National guidance, ‘Drugs: Guidance for Schools DfES 0092/2004’ and Nottinghamshire County Council’s ‘Children and Young People : Substance Use’ policy.

 

 

 

Where and to whom the policy applies

 

The contents of this policy indicate that the possession, use or supply of illegal and other unauthorised drugs is unacceptable within the school boundaries. The school boundaries extend beyond the school premises and perimeters to include, journeys in school time, work experience, residential trips, outside the school gates and the physical boundaries of the school. The school day includes the journey to and from the school when wearing the school’s uniform.

 

This policy applies to all staff, pupils, parents/carers, governors and partner agencies working with the school.

 

 

Definition and terminology

 

The definition of a drug given by the United National Office on Drugs and Crime is:

           

‘A substance people take to change the way they feel, think or behave’.

 

The term ‘drugs’ and ‘drug education’, unless otherwise stated, is used throughout this policy to refer to all drugs:

 

 

 

 

The school’s stance towards drugs, health and the needs of pupils

 

The first concern in managing drugs is the health and safety of the school, community and meeting the pastoral needs of the pupils.

 

The possession, use or supply of illegal or other unauthorised drugs (as designated by the Head Teacher) within school boundaries are unacceptable.

 

Some drugs may be authorised in the school, namely medicines. If a pupil is on medication, either prescribed by a doctor or over-the-counter medicines with parental instruction, sufficient should only be carried for that day’s use. Insulin for diabetics is kept refrigerated by the School Nurse. Pupils who may require painkillers are asked to carry 2 on them. Any pupil with asthma should carry an inhaler at all times. Migraleve for migraine sufferers is provided by parents and kept in a locked cupboard in the nurse’s office for their use. Named Epi-pens are kept in the nurse’s office, reception and on the pupil and administered as required.

 

In a medical emergency involving drugs, the policy states that the utmost priority will be placed on safety by summoning appropriate help before addressing further issues.

 

  

Staff with key responsibility for drugs

 

The person in the school who would oversee any major drug issues in the school would be the Head Teacher, Mr Rob McDonough. The drugs co-ordinator in the school is Miss E Hampson. The person responsible for the development and delivering of the drug education programme in the school is Mrs R Cooper.

 

 

The school’s Drugs Education Programme

 

This policy believes that drug education is a major component of drug prevention. Drug prevention aims to: minimise the number of young people engaging in drug use; delay the age of onset of first use; reduce the harm caused by drugs; and enable those who have concerns about drugs to seek help.

 

The aim of drug education is to provide opportunities for pupils to develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes and understanding about drugs and appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, relating this to their own and others’ actions. Drug education is an entitlement for every pupil and is supported by Section 351, of the Education Act 1996.

 

Drugs education is an important aspect of the curriculum for all schools. It should:

 

Increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding and clarify misconceptions about:

 

 

Develop pupils’ personal and social skills to make informed decisions and keep themselves safe and health, including:

 

 

Enable pupils to explore their own and other peoples’ attitudes towards drugs, drug use and drug users, including challenging stereotypes, and exploring media and social influences.

 

 

Methodology and resources

 

Drugs education is a sensitive and controversial subject and it is, therefore, important that it is delivered in a safe, secure and supportive learning environment. Teachers try to ensure that all pupils are fully involved in lessons by using a variety of interactive and participatory teaching methods.

 

In order to give support to teachers delivering the drugs education programme, links are maintained with the P.S.D.I. (Personal, Social Development Initiative) team to aid learning. The school’s community police officer provides a secure link with the local police and is involved in the programme, with particular reference to the legal implications of drug-taking.

 

 

Staff support and training

 

The PSHE Co-ordinator has recently completed the CPD PSHE programme. This training is used in the preparation of up-to-date lesson plans and shared with colleagues delivering the programme. The school is currently working towards the PSHE strand of the Healthy Schools programme, which includes a focus on drugs education.

 

The school regularly gives updates to the whole staff during staff training regarding general drug awareness. This opportunity is also used to ensure that all staff have a good understanding of the school’s drugs and other related policies. This understanding includes the first steps to take in managing drug related incidents and identifying and responding to pupils’ needs.

 

 

Assessment, monitoring, evaluation and reviewing

 

This policy indicates that we do not judge achievement in drugs education, only in terms of gains in factual knowledge. As part of the PSHE provision, we use assessment to identify:

 

 

The methods of assessment include:

 

 

Assistant Heads of Year have a session in year meetings where tutors feedback to them on lessons taught. Assistant Heads of Year then feedback to the head of PSHE, who acts on the information and, where necessary, re-writes lessons or alters schemes of work.

 

Drugs education work is regularly monitored and updated by the PSHE Co-ordinator in consultation with the Assistant Head (Student Services).

 

The school’s drugs education programme in PSHE and Citizenship is outlined in Appendix 1.

 

 

Management of drug related incidents

 

If any drug related incidents should occur, the safety and well being of the child will always be the overriding concern. Each incident will be considered taking into account the circumstances of the individual and the parents, Police and other appropriate agencies will be informed according to the needs of the individual concerned. There may be interest in drug related incidents by the media. Confidentiality of pupils will be a priority. The Head Teacher will respond to all media questions.

 

 

The standard of proof to be applied is the balance of probabilities.

 

The law permits school staff to take temporary possession of a substance suspected of being an illegal drug for the purposes of preventing an offence being committed or continued in relation to the drug providing that all reasonable steps are taken to destroy the drug or deliver it to a person lawfully entitled to take custody of it. As a school, we ensure that:

 

 

Personal searches

 

School staff are allowed to do personal searches on pupils when they are suspected of having drugs on their person, under article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998. This is in place to protect the human rights of other children in the school. However, the policy of the school is not to exercise this right. The pupils will be requested to hand over the drugs voluntarily in the presence of a second adult witness. If the pupil refuses, and the drugs are thought to be illegal, then the police will be called. The police are then allowed to conduct a personal search on the pupil.

 

 

Search of school property

 

Staff may search school property if they believe drugs to be stored there. Prior consent should always be sought. However, pupils must be made aware that if consent is refused, the school staff are within their rights to proceed with the search. Parents will then be informed whether the search was positive or negative.

 

 

Search of personal property

 

The school staff reserve the right to search personal property without consent under article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998. Parents/carers can be called in to assist in the search if the school deems this necessary. In severe cases, the police could be called if the school wish to proceed along formal lines.

 

The Head Teacher can request police handlers to enter the school in order to detect illegal drug possession or use.

 

The school ensures that a careful investigation is conducted to judge the nature and seriousness of each incident. The school puts an emphasis on listening to what people have to say. All pupils involved in the incident are separated, and it is ensured that a second adult witness is always present. If, during the course of the investigation the school decides that the police should be involved, then the school staff will cease their questioning.

 

 

 

When dealing with parents/carers under the influence of drugs on school premises, the school staff will remain calm. Where the behaviour of a parent/carer under the influence repeatedly places a child at risk or the parent/carer becomes abusive or violent, staff will consider whether to invoke child protection procedures and/or the involvement of the police.

 

 

The needs of pupils

 

Posters of local and national help lines are displayed around the school and are available from the school nurse.

 

 

Referral and external support

 

In every case of an incident involving drugs, the school places the utmost priority on safety, meeting any medical emergency with first aid and summoning appropriate help before addressing further issues. If the school has any doubt, then medical assistance will be requested immediately.

 

Possible agencies which the school could use include:

 

 

 

Confidentiality

 

The school can not, and does not, promise total confidentiality. If a child requests that a piece of information exposed is kept confidential, then this will be honoured. However, the child will be made aware that this can not be possible if:

 

 

 

The role of parents and carers

 

The school realises that parents/carers have a crucial role in preventing problem drug use. Therefore, this policy and all up-to-date information on drug education, are already accessible at parental request. In any incident involving illegal and other unauthorised drugs, the school will involve the child’s parents/carers and explain how the school intends to respond to the incident and to the pupil’s needs. Where the school suspects that to do this might put the child’s safety at risk or if there is any other cause for concern at home, then the school will exercise caution when considering involving parents. Parents/carers are encouraged to approach the school if they are concerned about any issue related to drugs and their child.

 

 

The role of governors

 

As part of their general responsibilities for the strategic direction of the school, governors have a key role to play in the development of the school’s policy on drugs. The governor with specific responsibility relating to the provision of drugs education is Mr P Booth.

 

 

The role of staff

 

All staff who work within school support the place of the school in the community and should appreciate the importance of their own professional status in society. They should recognise that professionalism involves using judgement over appropriate standards of personal behaviour with regard to drugs and could result in disciplinary measures being taken. This includes all teachers, non-teaching staff, governors and partner agencies working within the school.

 

 

The National Healthy School Standard

 

The school has already been credited with Emotional Health and Well Being standard and is currently working towards the PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) strand. This incorporates sex and relationship education and drugs education. The Healthy Eating and Physical Activity strand remains to be completed before full accreditation is achieved.

 

 

Liaison with other schools

 

The school works on continuity of drugs education at primary and secondary schools. All our feeder schools currently do the D.A.R.E. project in year 5 and 6; this is taught by the community police officer who also works in this school, so close links in learning are in place.

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX 1

 

 

School’s Drug Education Programme - in PSHE and Citizenship

 

 

 

Year 7             (Alcohol)

 

We are building on work already done in primary schools. Pupils have 3 lessons on alcohol in which they learn the following things:

 

 

This is followed by evaluation work in the form of posters for display – “Messages to other people”.

 

 

Year 8             (Smoking)

 

Three lessons on smoking include:

 

 

Evaluation is done in the form of agree/unsure/disagree work.

 

Two lessons on binge drinking involves:

 

 

Evaluation is verbal and a brief written response to their feelings after the sessions.

 

 

Year 9             (Drugs)

 

Two lessons / Cannabis.

 

At present we use outside providers – the PSDI team (Personal, Social Development Initiative team). The outside providers use role play and the community police officer to put across the risks associated with drug taking and the legal implications. This is followed by a lesson on Cannabis, taking the form of a debate about where/why it is in the drug class structure.

 

 

 

 

 

Year 10           (Drugs)

 

Building on work done in year 9 we do four lessons on drugs. This work includes researching the types of drugs relating to the risk involved to health and the effect on the body. Watching the Ecstacy video and talking about recreational drugs, considering the Law and drug use.

 

 

Year 10           (Alcoholism)

 

Watching a video on alcoholism; looking at the direct and indirect health problems associated with drinking; looking at where to go for help.

 

Evaluation is in the form of posters/poems or articles for a newspaper warning people about the dangers of drugs.

 

 

Year 11           (Alcohol)

 

In year 11 we build on work done in years 7-10. We revisit:

 

 

Evaluation – pupil response sheet on the consequences of F.A.S. followed by group discussion and personal health issues associated with risk taking behaviour i.e. alcohol, smoking and drugs.

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX 2

 

 

POLICY STATEMENT FOR STUDENTS

 

Where does West Bridgford School stand on drugs?

 

 

We aim to make the school a safer and more secure place for everyone.

 

 

Question:        What is a drug?

 

Answer:           A drug is a substance which people take to change the way they feel, think

                        or behave.

 

 

1.                     The school has a legal responsibility to take action over illegal drugs such as

                        Cannabis, speed, ecstasy, heroin, crack and acid.

 

                        You must not :

 

(a)               supply, buy, possess or use illegal drugs on school premises, or

on the journey to or from school on a school day,

(b)               for health and safety reasons, come on to the school premises

under the influence of illegal drugs.

 

 

2.                     You should be aware that the use of, possession of, or trade in, illegal

substances on school premises  or on the journey to or from school on a school day could lead to the termination of your education at the school.

 

 

3.                     Alcohol and solvents are also drugs which have health and safety issues

                        for students and the school. You must not bring alcohol or solvents on to

                        school premises, or be in school under the influence of these drugs.

 

 

4.                     You should not smoke on school premises or in the immediate vicinity of the school. Cigarettes and matches will be confiscated if brought onto the premises.

 

 

5.                     If you have worries concerning drug related issues, solvent or alcohol misuse,

                        you can talk to a tutor, head of year or the school nurse. Appropriate support,

                        advice or information can then be offered.

 

 

6.                     If you are involved in a drugs related incident outside of the normal school day but which impacts upon maintaining good behaviour and discipline amongst the pupil body as a whole, the school reserves the right to take the appropriate disciplinary action in school.

 

 

7.                     All of the above apply equally to a school visit.