This document provides information on drugs and substance use among young people. It summarizes trends showing declines in smoking, drinking, and drug use among 14-year-olds over the past decade. However, it notes some young people are still engaging in risky behaviors. The document discusses Ofsted standards for personal, social, health and economic education and how schools should manage drug-related incidents, identify students in need, and include arrangements in their drug policies. It provides questions for governors to consider and ensures schools fulfill their duties in promoting wellbeing and safety.

2. What is a drug?
“A substance people take to change the way
they feel, think or behave.” It could be:
 a controlled drug, e.g. cannabis
 alcohol
 tobacco
 prescription and over-the-counter medicines
 volatile substances, e.g. sniffing glue, aerosols
or petrol

3. Drugs – do we need to worry?
Amid media stories about young people drinking
too much and experimenting with risky
substances, it is easy to miss the actual trends...

4. Smoking, drinking and drug use falling
Trends among 14 year olds over the past decade.
40%
Ever taken
30% drugs
20% Drank alcohol
in the past
10% week
0% Regular
smoker
Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in 2011, Office for National Statistics

5. But many young people are still risking
their health and future wellbeing
 Around one in seven 13 year olds say they
have been drunk at least twice.1
 11% of 15-16 year olds surveyed said they had
had unprotected sex after drinking.2
 19% of 15 year olds smoked cannabis in the
past year and 5% took a Class A drug.3
1. WHO (2012) Health behaviours in school-aged children
2. ESPAD (2009) The 2007 ESPAD report
3. Fuller, E. (2012) Smoking, drinking and drug use

6. Questions for governors: 1
How does your PSHE provision
match up to Ofsted’s standards?
Are pupils learning how to
make good decisions when
faced with risky situations?

7. Questions for governors: 2
Are drug-related incidents
managed with confidence
and consistency, and in the
best interests of those
involved?

8. Questions for governors: 3
What arrangements are there
to identify and safeguard the
wellbeing of pupils who need
help because of their own, or
someone else’s, drug and
alcohol use?

9. The answers to these questions will
help you…
 fulfil the school’s statutory duty to promote
pupils’ wellbeing
 demonstrate to Ofsted that the behaviour and
safety of pupils is ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’
 demonstrate to Ofsted the contribution that
PSHE education makes to pupils’ spiritual,
moral, social and cultural development

10. A reminder on how Ofsted determines
schools’ effectiveness:
 achievement of pupils
 quality of teaching
 behaviour and safety
 quality of leadership and management
Inspectors must also consider:
 pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
 the extent to which the education provided meets the
needs of the range of pupils at the school

11. Behaviour and safety of pupils
 Inspectors take into account a range of
evidence, rather than simply observations.
 This includes the extent to which pupils are
able to understand and respond to
risk, including risks associated with substance
misuse.*
*School inspection handbook, September 2012

12. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development
Examples given as evidence of pupils’
spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
include where pupils…
 “are reflective about beliefs, values and more
profound aspects of human experience”
 “develop and apply an understanding of right and
wrong in their school life and life outside school”
 “take part in a range of activities requiring social
skills”

13. Answering the first question
How does your PSHE provision
match up to Ofsted’s standards?
Are pupils learning how to
make good decisions when
faced with risky situations?

14. PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and
Economic) education
 In enabling children and young people to
understand risks, PSHE can contribute to their
behaviour and safety.
 By developing life skills and helping young
people think about their own and other
people’s values and attitudes, for example to
drugs, it can enhance their
spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development .

15. What do Ofsted look for in PSHE?
 Ofsted has criteria for its subject-specific
inspections which set out what it expects to
see in PSHE.
 The last time it carried out a survey of
PSHE, the results were mixed:

16. In around a quarter of schools “teachers lacked
the necessary expertise to engage pupils and to
challenge their misconceptions”
In many schools, “students’ knowledge about
the social risks and physical effects of excessive
alcohol consumption was rudimentary.”

17. What Ofsted look for in PSHE
inspections (in the classroom)*
 Teachers are skilled in discussing sensitive and
controversial issues.
 Lessons use a wide range of strategies and
active participation and effective discussion
are a strong feature.
 Pupils have a strong understanding of key
issues and how to keep themselves safe.
 PSHE develops personal skills, including
critical thinking.
*themes drawn from
subject-specific guidance for inspectors

18. What Ofsted look for in PSHE
inspections (in planning)*
 PSHE is well resourced in terms of curriculum
time, staff training, management time and the
use of external services and materials.
 It is informed by current best practice.
 Pupils and teachers are engaged in evaluating
and influencing the curriculum.
 Local data is taken into account.
 It is supported by links with partner
schools, parents, carers and external agencies
*themes drawn from
subject-specific guidance for inspectors

19. ‘Current best practice’ in drug
education
 The basics: enough curriculum time; skilled
teachers; lessons based on assessment of
pupils’ needs; interactive learning.
 Scare tactics or ‘information only’ don’t work.
 Developing life skills and allowing pupils to
practise them through interactive teaching.

20. Answering the second question
Are drug-related incidents
managed with confidence
and consistency, and in the
best interests of those
involved?

21. Dealing with ‘Drug-related incidents’:
What are they?
 A ‘drug-related incident’ could involve finding
an unauthorised drug at school, use on school
premises or on a school trip, or concerns
raised about misuse outside school. Misuse
may be by a pupil, but may also be by parents
or school staff.

22. How much of a problem is it for us?
 In some settings for older pupils, especially
Pupil Referral Units and colleges, drug misuse
is a daily challenge
 Ofsted has suggested that in most secondary
schools there are drug-related incidents at
least once a term.
*Ofsted (2005) Managing challenging behaviour

23.  Even primary schools may have problems.
Recent surveys in some primary schools have
revealed behaviour is being affected by use of
high-caffeine energy drinks.*
 Drug and alcohol abuse in families may also
have a significant impact on pupils' wellbeing.
 It is important to have an accurate picture for
your school.
*Nottingham D-vibe survey

24. Answering the third question
What arrangements are there
to identify and safeguard the
wellbeing of pupils who need
help because of their own, or
someone else’s, drug and
alcohol use?

25. Identifying pupils’ needs and supporting
them with drug and alcohol issues
 These needs may be identified in response to
a breach of the school rules
 Pupils may also disclose problems to a
member of staff
 Do pupils know how they can access
confidential advice?
 Does the school have a policy on young
carers?

26. Bringing all these together:
the school drug policy
This should set out:
 How the school manages drug-related
incidents
 Support for pupils
 The provision of drug education

27. The school’s drug policy should include:
 Arrangements for ensuring that governors are
well informed on drugs issues as they affect
the school.
 The role of governors (or a designated
governor if appointed) in policy development;
overseeing the drug education programme;
and contributing to any case conferences
called, or appeals against exclusions.*
*DfE (2012)Drug advice to schools

28. Reviewing the school drug policy
 It should be agreed in consultation with the whole
school community including pupils, parents and staff.
 Consultation:
 Helps people ‘buy in’ to the policy
 Helps them understand the issues
 Helps build a better functioning policy
 Mentor’s toolkit is a simple how-to guide
www.mentoruk.org.uk/resources/schools

29. Key questions
to ask in your What are we doing to
school promote health and
wellbeing around
drugs, alcohol and
What impact tobacco?
have these
measures had?
What is the What needs to
evidence for happen next...?
that?

30. To find out more...
www.mentoruk.org.uk/resources/schools
Governors can find:
 advice on best practice in drug education
 a toolkit to help in reviewing the school drug
and alcohol policy
 more questions to ask in your school