Drugs policy

“All schools are expected to have a policy which sets out the school's role in relation to all drug matters. Those without a drug policy should develop one as a matter of urgency.” (DfES, 2004)

We will look for a policy that is up to date and conforms with the latest guidance, currently Drugs: guidance for schools DfES/0092/2004. You should have developed your policy in consultation with parents / carers and pupils, or at least be planning to consult with them when the policy is next due for review. The policy must be relevant to the needs of the school.

The DfES guidance has a framework to guide your policy development. Download a checklist to ensure that you have covered all the key areas.

Primary 

The NAHT has produced a model primary school policy.

We've also had a go at developing our own user-friendly policy framework for schools. Starting with the school ethos we've mapped out a few starting points for considering what you should put into your policy. Not sure you want one - do we need a drugs policy? Not sure what incidents could be in the primary school? Download the drugs incidents prompt sheet to get you thinking!

Tell us what you think and add comments or suggestions for improvements.

A smoke-free future

Download the government's ten-year tobacco strategy, A smoke-free future.