DRUG EDUCATION AND THE MANAGEMENT OF DRUG-RELATED INCIDENTS
amended July 2005

1. Aims

To give clear guidelines and a consistent approach in the provision of effective drug education throughout the school.

To ensure balance and relationship between the provision of a drug education curriculum and a range of appropriate responses to drug-related incidents. For example drugs should not always form the sole focus or highest priority in responses to situations in which bravado, rebellion, provocation, ignorance, weakness or lack of responsibility have also been shown.

To allow for the appropriate involvement of key external support and advice organisations.

To ensure reference to other relevant policies in consideration of aspects such as child protection, pastoral care, smoking, alcohol, medicines, health and safety.

2. Preamble.

As a Catholic Christian community, the school is fully committed to the well-being of its students and will always act to safeguard their health and safety, particularly when members are put at risk by others. The theme of respect for each person’s body should mirror the words of St Paul: Your body, as you know, is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you since you received him from God. You are not your own property! (1 Corinthians, 6:19) All temples are, by definition, holy places of respect.

Whilst the school recognises that increased numbers of young people in society are experimenting with drugs, it also understands and respects the fact that many young people choose not to engage with drug use. As a Christian community the school commits itself to support the differing needs of all students.

The school recognises its duty to inform and educate students in drug use/ misuse and the possible consequences. This will take place not only within the curriculum but also through our personal, social, health, Citizenship and pastoral education programmes. Detailed programmes will be attached to this policy as they are planned, developed or reviewed.

In this policy, the school takes into account the emphasis in The Children Act 1989 and Articles 3 and 33 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child both of which focus on the “best interests of young people”.

The aims of the drug education programme will include the provision of drug and medicine knowledge, accurate information about implications/ consequences/ effects to dispel myths, risk minimisation, informed choice by the challenging of values and attitudes, an environment where students can explore and discuss issues, identification of support sources, and an appreciation of the wider aspects of health and social behaviour.

The need to work in partnership with all relevant stakeholders is paramount. Good communication and co-operation with parents will be essential to the operation and success of this policy.

The school has a statutory requirement to breach confidentiality when someone is at risk from serious harm, when life is at immediate risk or when a member of staff is needed to give evidence in a court of law.

Drug-related incidents would be defined as those involving evidence or suspicion of a specific event at school involving one or more unauthorised drugs and requiring immediate action by school staff. Examples might include a pupil drinking alcohol at school; a pupil discovered bringing slimming tablets secretly to school; a pupil found intoxicated at school; a named pupil reported having sold an illegal drug to to a friend at school “last week”.

3. Obligations required by the policy.

i The Head should

act as named 'substance co-ordinator' for drug-related incidents. In the absence of the head, the deputy head or the assistant with responsibility for personnel matters.

ii The governors should

take responsibility for the content and delivery of the school’s drug education programme by liaison with the PSHE co-ordinator.

be familiar with relevant legislation, DFEE, LEA and SCODA (Standing Conference on Drug Abuse) guidelines and local/ national Catholic education guidance.

be ultimately responsible for the liaison between school and parents with regard to any aspects of this policy or its implementation.

iii The leadership team should

provide relevant INSET to help all staff whether teaching or supporting to keep up to date in knowledge, skills and attitudes in drug use/ misuse. This should include medical emergencies procedures and their position relating to key aspects such as search, confiscation, disposal and confidentiality.

offer support and resources for the implementation of the policy.

work with the governors and PSHE-coordinator to develop the SCODA quality standards.

iv Heads of key stage should

liaise with the PSHE-Co-ordinator to develop and manage form period work and visiting speakers.


v The head of science should

ensure that all students are taught the required elements of drug education in the national curriculum science order at Key Stages 3 and 4.

vi The PSHE co-ordinator should

ensure that the relevant guidance in good practice is available to the governors and the leadership team.

liaise with heads of key stages to develop and support pastoral/ tutor work on drug education.

liaise with the governors and the leadership team to work towards the implementation of SCODA Quality Standards.

vii The health education co-ordinator should

liaise with the PSHE co-ordinator to ensure that those aspects of the health education programme concerning drug education are delivered in accord with this policy and with the governors’ aims.

viii All staff should

know the school’s policy on drug education and the management of drug-related incidents and, given relevant training, be able to support and follow it.

In the event of a drug related incident, report/ liaise via the substance co-ordinator.


4. This policy shall be monitored by the governors and the leadership team.