Abingdon School Drugs Policy.

The following policy is an abridged version of the full policy.

1. Applications:
This policy relates to the misuse of controlled drugs and other substances and applies to all pupils at Abingdon School. It applies at all times, including holidays, whether or not the pupil is in the care of the School.

2. Drugs and Substances:
These expressions refer to the possession, use and supply of controlled drugs and the paraphernalia of drugs or substances intended to resemble drugs, or ‘legal’ drugs which can be obtained from a chemist shop, performance enhancing drugs, anabolic steroids, glue and other substances held or supplied in each case for the purposes of misuse.

AIMS AND POLICY

3. Prevention:
The central aim of this policy is to keep drugs out of Abingdon School. We aim to do so by means of education, pastoral care, detention of users and a sanctions policy.

4. Education:
We educate pupils to understand that the use of illegal drugs is or may be a criminal offence and will be harmful to their health, integrity, independence, opportunities and careers, and will damage the society in which they live. We educate by means of personal development courses and by example, discussion and by means of lectures from outside experts.

5. Pastoral Care:
We encourage the pupils to discuss their anxieties about drugs or substances in confidence with a member of staff or school counsellor. Matters brought into counselling by a pupil or his parents, in circumstances which are genuine, will be ‘ring-fenced’ from disciplinary sanctions or adverse report, but a pupil who is suspected of involvement with drugs or substances outside this context will face the full disciplinary consequences.

6. Detention:
Every complaint or report of involvement with drugs and substances will be followed up and investigated. A pupil suspected of involvement with drugs and substances may be suspended.

7. Sanction for supplying:
ANYONE SUPPLYING DRUGS MUST EXPECT TO BE EXPELLED IMMEDIATELY even if he is about to sit public examinations.

8. Sanction for possession or use:
Anyone possessing or using drugs MUST ALSO EXPECT TO BE EXPELLED but in exceptional circumstances a supportive regime, including drug testing, may be offered as an alternative to expulsion.

TESTING FOR DRUGS.

9. Urine sample:
If, outside the context of confidential counselling, there is reason to suspect that a pupil has been involved with drugs or substances, he may be required to supply, under medical supervision, a urine sample for analysis.
The reason for this policy is:
* To deter the use of drugs and other substances
* To identify users
* To absolve those who have been wrongly suspected
Reason to suspect use of illegal drugs may arise as a result of information or a complaint received or because of a pupil’s behaviour.

10. Informed consent:
The relevant consent to a drugs test is that of the pupil rather than the parents, even if the pupil is under 16 years of age, provided he is a sufficient maturity and understanding and gives his informed consent in writing.

11. Notifying parents:
R easonable endeavours will be made, before a urine sample is taken, to notify a parent, guardian or education guardian of the requirement for a urine sample and the reasons for that requirement.

12. Medical supervision:
T he urine sample will be taken under medical supervision, normally by the senior school nurse. Another member of the school staff will also be present. All due care will be taken to respect the pupil’s privacy and human rights.

13. Refusal:
If a pupil refuses to supply a urine sample, he will be asked to say why he has refused. The School will be entitled to draw inferences from his response and general demeanour, which may strengthen the case for expulsion, and the police may be informed.

14. Testing procedures:
These will be accordance with standards good practice.

15. Medical record:
The outcome of the test, whether positive or negative, will not form part of the pupil’s permanent medical record.

16. Outcome:
This part of the full policy deals with the immediate response to the health centre chemical strip test or the laboratory report.

17. Procedure:
The School will treat a positive laboratory test, although not as infallible, as evidence that the pupils has been using drugs. A meeting will be arranged between the pupil, the Headmaster and another adult chosen by the pupil to assist. him.

18. Sanction:
If the Headmaster’s decision is that a pupil has been using drugs, the Headmaster will outline the range of sanctions he is considering and will then, or at a later meeting if requested, hear mitigating circumstances and consider the pupil’s academic and disciplinary record before deciding on the sanction.

19. Review:
If the pupil is expelled or required to leave, he and his parents will be offered a Governors’ Review which will normally take place under a separate procedure, within ten days and his suspension may be continued in the interim.

The full policy ends with an appendix describing the supportive regime.