Drug management policy
Student Overview
Why do we have a Drugs Policy?
We want every member of the school community to feel safe and well looked after.
A ‘drug’ is …
“A substance people take to change the way they feel, think or behave”
The word ‘drug’ includes
- All illegal drugs
- All legal drugs, including tobacco, volatile substances, “poppers”, Mephedrone, Ketamine or other synthetic substances, alcohol and ‘legal’ highs
- All over-the-counter and prescription medicines*
This takes into account the fact that whereas some drugs may be seen as helpful and “socially acceptable”, all of them have the potential to be harmful.
What counts as ‘school’This takes into account the fact that whereas some drugs may be seen as helpful and “socially acceptable”, all of them have the potential to be harmful.
- The buildings and grounds within the school
- Anywhere on an organised school visit, in and outside school hours
- Anywhere close to school, or on the way to/from school as part of the school day
Drug Education
This is a major part of looking after everyone’s safety and well being at Rossett School. Drug education aims to:
- Increase students’ knowledge and understanding of drugs
- Develop students’ skills to make informed decisions and keep themselves safe and healthy
- Enable students to explore peoples’ attitude toward drug issues.
Most of the problems young people will have will be with legal drugs such as:
Alcohol
- No student may have alcohol in any form on the school premises. This includes bottles or cans of drink like shandy and alcopops
- No student should consume alcohol in any form during the school day, on or off premises or on the way to and from school
- Sanctions will be applied according the school’s Drug Management Policy (5 day exclusion)
Smoking and Tobacco
- The school is a non-smoking campus (this includes the grounds)
- No student in Years 7-11 should bring to school any tobacco product or associated items such as lighters, matches.
- Students are not allowed to smoke on or around the school premises, on school visits or school-related social events.
- Sanctions will be applied as outlined in the school’s Drug Management policy.
Involvement of people that care for you
- Parents/carers have a key role to play in drug education and students developing responsible attitudes to drugs.
- Parents and carers are encouraged to approach the school at any time if they have any concerns about drug issues in relation to their child/the wider school community.
- Parents and carers will be informed if the Headteacher feels there is enough evidence to suspect a student’s involvement with drugs in school – unless there are indications that this would not be in the interest of the student.
Role of the Police
The Headteacher will normally contact the police when a student is found in possession of cannabis or other illegal substances. Where the school is asked what action they wish to have taken by the police we will ask for the student to be arrested.
*As set out in the Rossett School Medical Needs Policy where students have been prescribed controlled drugs, these must be kept in safe custody – students may access them for self-medication if it was agreed that this was appropriate. It is good practice to support and encourage students, who are able, to take responsibility for their own medicines (eg. a student with asthma inhaler or Sixth Form students who are legally able to self-administer eg. simple analgesia).
The selling of illegal drugs will automatically result in permanent exclusion.
Linked Policies:
Drug Management Policy – Student Overview
Supporting Students with Medical Needs Policy
