Drugs and Alcohol

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1. Introduction

  1. This is a Governing body policy, which takes into account the Governors’ legal responsibilities as employers and occupants of the School premises, and the guidance in the Department’s ‘Drugs: Guidance for Schools’ and 10/95 Protection of Children: the Role of the Education Service, and the guidance in the Department’s Improving Behaviour and Attendance: Guidance on Exclusions from Schools and Student Referral Units 2003.
  2. The Governors are committed to ensuring that Bourne Grammar School is a healthy School, free from the misuse of drugs and other substances. Illegal drugs should never be in School. Legal drugs are only allowed when they are medicines agreed by the Head for use in School under the Administration of Medicines policy.

2. Aim

  1. The policy aims to make clear the School’s approach to the problem of drugs.
  2. It sets out the Governing body’s policy on drugs education and makes clear the procedures that should be followed in responding to drug-related incidents.

3. Responsibilities

  1. The Assistant Head (Pastoral) is the Coordinator for Drugs and Other Substances (DSC) and has overall responsibility for the implementation of the policy, for liaison with Governing body and parents, and external agencies as appropriate, and for the training and support of staff.
  2. The Assistant Head (Pastoral) must ensure that all students are aware of the policy and its implications.
  3. The Head is responsible for liaison with the media when necessary.
  4. Drugs and Other Substances Co-ordinator (DSC)
    1. The DSC will report to the Head and will liaise with a nominated member of the Governing body. He/she will attend relevant meetings of the (appropriate) committee of the Governing body.
    2. The DSC’s main responsibility is to co-ordinate the detail of the School’s drugs education programme, to ensure that staff have the relevant skills and to support staff under the Head’s direction, and at the discretion of the Head to give advice to students.
  5. Nominated Governor:
    1. This will be the same Governor as the nominated Governor for child protection. He/she will liaise with the DSC as appropriate and will advise the Chair on any urgent action that needs to be taken with regard to drugs education or the misuse of drugs, and will report to the (appropriate) committee of the Governing body, and advise the P&C committee on any action that needs to be taken or referred to the Governing body.
    2. The nominated Governor will also support the Head’s liaison with parents.
  6. The P&C committee has the delegated duty to take what action it deems necessary and make a report to the next meeting of the Governing body.
  7. Chair of the Governing body:
    1. The Chair of the Governing body in consultation with the Head and nominated Governor is empowered to take any necessary urgent action, and to report this to the next meeting of the Governing body.
  8. All staff:
    1. All members of staff must know the School’s policy and attend the relevant briefing sessions.

4. Definition

  1. Legal drugs that should not normally be in School include common ones such as:
    1. alcohol;
    2. tobacco;
    3. solvents;
    4. over the counter drugs*; and
    5. prescribed drugs (except those agreed by the Head under the Administration of Medicines policy)
    6. e-cigarettes and vaping paraphernalia
  • Given the age group of the student cohort at Bourne Grammar School, the School’s policy is that if a parent wishes to allow their child to bring into School a small amount of over the counter medicine for the purpose of pain relief, then the child is responsible for the safe-keeping of the medicine and for ensuring that it is for personal use only.
  1. Illegal drugs which must never be in School include the following common ones:
    1. cannabis;
    2. ecstasy;
    3. heroin;
    4. crack/cocaine; and
    5. LSD.
  2. Since 25 January 2009 cannabis has been reclassified as a Class B drug, but the potential penalties are different from the other Class B drugs. Anyone found with a ‘small quantity’ of cannabis is liable to an on-the-spot fine. This change should not affect School attitudes to the drug, which is an illegal substance.

5. Drugs education

  1. The DSC will ensure that there is a planned drugs education programme as part of the PSHE Programme (and other appropriate areas of the curriculum e.g. science). The programme must:
  2. inform students about drugs and their effects;
  3. promote a positive attitude towards a healthy lifestyle;
  4. increase students’ understanding of the health and social implications of the use and misuse of drugs;
  5. inform students about course of action open to them if they or people they know become, or might become, involved in drugs activity;
  6. ensure that students are aware of the existence and content of this policy; and
  7. inform students about support and resources available in School and outside School.

6. Action to be taken in incidents involving misuse of drugs

It is vitally important the staff, students and parents should be clear about the action that will be taken in any drug related incident.

  1. Staff should ensure that all cases of misuse of drugs, or suspected misuse, are reported to the Head and Assistant Head (Pastoral).
  2. In all instances involving substance misuse or supply on the School’s premises parents will be informed, and their co-operation sought.
  3. The School will consider each drug incident separately and consider the appropriate response, bearing in mind the circumstances of the case, and the need to balance the interests of the student, other members of the School and the wider community.
  4. However, the Governors believe that it is essential that parents and students are clear about the normal sanction that will be applied in particular instances, as follows:
    1. a student who supplies any drugs or other solvents (whether legal or illegal, and regardless of the seriousness of the use) on the School premises will normally be permanently excluded for a first offence. The also includes the supply of substances purporting to be drugs.
    2. ‘Supply’ includes retailing drugs on the premises, communicating with a drug dealer on behalf of another student of the School, introducing fellow students to a drug dealer, and any other instance of procuring legal or illegal drugs for him/herself or other students.
    3. ‘Supply’ includes supplying for money or free-of-charge.
    4. In the case of the supply of a drug which is legal (including over-the-counter drugs) the Head will assess the seriousness of the incident before deciding whether to exclude permanently or for a fixed period.
  5. Before making a decision on exclusion the Head will ensure that satisfactory investigation has been carried out.
  6. a student who has any legal or illegal drug in his/her possession will normally be excluded for a fixed period for a first offence, to be determined by the Head after considering all the circumstances of the case.
  7. The Head will also determine what counselling needs to be provided and/or other action needs to be taken during or after the exclusion.
  8. For a second offence the Head will determine whether a further fixed- term exclusion is appropriate, or whether it is appropriate to exclude permanently. In coming to a decision the Head will take into account any medical/police/social service/ drug adviser reports that may be available, and consider whether further counselling is appropriate.
  9. Where the Head is contemplating exclusion for a drug-related offence he will consult the School’s DSC, and take any other advice he deems appropriate.

7. Offences outside the School

  1. If a student is involved in a drug-related incident outside the School the Head will assess the implications for the student and the School and determine the best course of action bearing in mind the interests of the student and the interests of the School and wider community and the fact that the incident occurred out of School.
  2. The Head will consult the DSC, and as appropriate the Police Liaison Officer or other agency before making a decision.

8. Involvement of the police

  1. Although there is no legal duty to inform the police of any drug incident in the School, the Governors’ policy is that the Head will determine whether to inform the Police Liaison Officer and will seek any relevant support and advice. The Head must be mindful that the Governors cannot knowingly allow the premises to be used for the production or supply of any controlled drug, or the preparation or smoking of cannabis or opium.
  2. Where the School suspects that drugs are being sold on the premises all relevant suspicions and information will be passed to the police.

9. Staff training

  1. The Assistant Head (Pastoral) will ensure that relevant staff (teaching and support staff) receive appropriate training in drug education and the handling of incidents that they might come across. All staff will report suspicions regarding drugs use or supply to the Head of Year and Assistant Head (Pastoral)
  2. All staff should know this School policy and be informed of any changes to it.

10. Monitoring and review

  1. The P&C committee of the Governing body will receive regular reports on the implementation of the policy.
  2. The Governing body will review the policy annually and will assess its effectiveness and whether any changes are necessary.
  3. Any changes will be notified to the staff and parents.

11. Date of next review

February 2019

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