1. Aims and Objectives of the Policy

1. Aims and Objectives of the Policy

The policy links with the School’s Health and Safety Policy (in particular regarding the administration of medicines) e Behaviour Policy, the Asthma policy and Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions policy.

The purpose of the policy is to:

•Clarify the legal requirements and responsibilities of the school

•Safeguard the health and safety of the pupils and others who use the school.

•Clarify the school’s approach to drugs for all staff, pupils, governors,

parents/carers, outside agencies and the wider communities.

•Give guidance to developing, implementing and monitoring the drug

educationprogramme.

•Enable staff to manage drugs on school premises and any incidents that occur with confidence and consistency and in the best interests of those involved.

•Ensure that the response to incidents involving drugs complements the

overall approach to drug education and the values and ethos of the school.

•Provide a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of the school drug education programme and the management of incidents involving illegal and otherunauthorised drugs.

•Reinforce the role of the school in contributing to local and national strategies.

The policy applies to all staff, pupils, parents/carers, governors and outside agencies working with the school. It also applies to groups that run activities on the school site.

This policy is written within the framework from theNational Guidance (DfES/92/2004) and the local Drug and ACPO Drug Advice for Schools (2012). This policy aims to set out the school’s approach to teaching and learning about drugs and the school’s management of situations involving drugs.

A drug is defined as any substance which, when taken into the body, affects the chemical composition of the body and how the body functions. An A-Z of drugs, listing drugs together with their effects, risks and legality, can be found on the website

Our school operates a smoke free site and takes the matter of illegal drugs very seriously as part of our Healthy School programme. The School is aware of the statutory duty on schools to promote pupils‘ wellbeing and as part of this to play a clear role in preventing drug misuse as part of our pastoral responsibilities. We are aware of the increasing problem of drug misuse throughout the country and within our community. Our school will play a full part in contributing to efforts across our community to reduce drug misuse. To this end, we are committed to working with our parents/carers. We will ensure parents/carers are informed about their children’s drug education, the school rules in relation to drugs and have the opportunity to be consulted about the school’s teaching programme.

2. Drug education curriculum

Drug education within the school is mainly delivered as part of the PSHE and citizenship programme. It also forms part of the statutory science curriculum.

The goal of drug and alcohol education is for pupils to:

• Develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and the dangers of illegal drugs and other substances potentially damaging to their health;
• To Develop a sense of responsibility towards the use of drugs;
• Apply these to their own actions, both now and in their future lives.

The learning objectives for drug and alcohol education include:

2.1 Attitudes and Values.

•to examine own opinions and values, and those of others

•to promote a positive attitude to healthy lifestyles and keeping self safe

•to enhance self awareness and self esteem

•to value and respect self and others

•to value diversity and difference within society

•to promote a sense of responsibility towards the use of drugs

2.2 Personal and Social Skills

•to identify risks to health

•to communicate with peers and adults, including parents/carers and professionals

•to develop decision-making, negotiation and assertiveness, particularly in situations related to drug use

•to develop an appreciation of the consequences of choices made

•to be able to cope with peer influences, and in resisting unhelpful pressures from adults and the media

•to make choices based on an understanding of difference and with an absence of prejudice

•to be able to talk, listen and think about feelings and relationships

•to develop critical thinking as part of decision-making

2.3 Knowledge and Understanding

•to develop an understanding of drugs and of the effects and risks of using drugs

•to gain an understanding of how the body functions

•to gain an understanding of what is safe and appropriate drug use

•to gain an understanding of the role of drugs in society and the laws and rules relating to their use

•to gain knowledge of people who can help if pupils have worries and have an understanding of confidentiality

•to gain an understanding of the changing nature of relationships, including families and friends, and ways of dealing positively with change

2.4 The organisation of the drug education curriculum.

The PSHE Coordinator is the lead on drugs education. Their role includes:

• Planning the drug education curriculum via a scheme of work for PSHE
• Monitoring its delivery, coordination of assessment and reporting to parents.
• The delivery of PSHE and citizenship following the Ealing Healthy Schools Scheme of Work, both through discrete planned lessons and through coordinated cross-curricular teaching.

A variety of teaching and learning approaches are used in PSHE and citizenship together with carefully selected teaching materials. There is a place for didactic teaching, together with active learning approaches, such as role-play, small group work and problem solving, which more effectively engage pupils in the learning process. Ground rules are used in PSHE and citizenship to establish a safe, secure and supportive learning environment, which emphasises the promotion of relevant personal skills. Pupils are shown respect for personal privacy and time is taken to explain the implications of personal disclosures. The teaching and learning approaches also include a variety of methods and strategies that cater for the range of attainment levels of our pupils and their diverse needs.

We welcome the involvement of visitors from external agencies to complement the core delivery by teaching staff. All visitors are supported in the classroom by a teacher and are informed about the school’s drug education policy and the scheme of work for PSHE and citizenship.

The Coordinator monitors the PSHE and citizenship curriculum. This will include sampling pupils’ work and monitoring curriculum plans. Factual knowledge and understanding about drugs and specific personal and social skills, as identified in the scheme of work, will be assessed within PSHE and citizenship.

3. Confidentiality and child protection

Confidentiality is an important consideration with respect to drugs and the boundaries of confidentiality will be made clear to pupils. If a pupil discloses information which is sensitive and which the pupil asks not to be passed on, the request will be honoured unless this is unavoidable in order for teachers to fulfill their professional responsibilities in relation to: child protection, cooperation with a police investigation or referral to an external service.

Teachers cannot and should not promise total confidentiality regarding children.

It may be necessary to invoke child protection procedures if a pupil’s safety is under threat. In such circumstances the Designated Child Protection Officer will be notified of any concerns. Relevant examples include a disclosure of illegal drug use by a pupil, and reporting of problematic substance misuse in the family home. Where there is disclosure of illegal substance use by a pupil, parents/carerswill be informed in all but the most exceptional circumstances.

4. Health and Safety and medicines

The safety of the individual and of all others on the school site are the most important concern if a pupil, visitor or member of staff is thought to be under the influence of any drug or substance which adversely affects their judgment. Responding consistently within our stated Health and Safety procedures, including, where necessary, the administration of first aid, is the priority.

Should any drug related paraphernalia be discovered on the school site, most will be handled within existing health & safety procedures using safety equipment such as disposable gloves, and will be bagged up and disposed of in the rubbish. A written record will be kept of suspicious paraphernalia. Pupils will be advised to not touch suspect items, such as discarded injecting equipment, but report the matter to a member of staff. The member of staff will ensure safety is maintained, until appropriate disposal of the item(s) is undertaken.

Solvents or hazardous chemicals legitimately used carefully by school staff or pupils are stored securely in the appropriate area and managed in a way to prevent inappropriate access or use.

The approach to access and administration of medicines is set out in the Local Authority’s “Guidelines and Code of Practice on the Administration of Medicines and Drugs Given In School”. The body of which is outlined below:

4.1 Administering Medicine

4.1.1 Schools have a duty, acting in loco parentis; to take reasonable care of children and this includes the possibility of administering medicine. (In this document the word “medicine” is used to include “medicines and prescribed drugs”, the term “medication” is used to refer to a person’s particular dose of medicine and the term “administration” means the acts involved in giving or applying the dose of medicine).

4.1.2 Generally speaking, pupils in schools who require medication will fall into three broad groups.

• Those who are completing a course of prescribed treatment.

• Those that have long-term medical conditions.

• Those with conditions that can, often without warning, require swift emergency medication.

All these pupils are regarded as having medical needs.

4.1.3 It is recognised that school staff have legitimate concerns over their legal position in administering medicines. There is no legal duty that requires school staff to administer medication. Contractually, staff cannot be forced to administer medicines but they are under a duty to obey reasonable instructions, taking into account the circumstances, the nature of the drugs concerned and their expertise.

4.1.4 Whilst parents/carersare responsible for their child's medication, it is normally the Head who decides if a school can assist a child who needs medication during the school day

4.1.5 Legally, it is not possible to disclaim liability for any serious adverse consequences of administering medicines in schools. In practice, any claim would lie against the employer. The Local Authority will also support any member of staff in any subsequent civil or criminal proceedings if the member of staff had followed the procedures set out in this or the School’s guidelines.

4.1.6 In general, the consequences of taking no action are likely to be more serious than those of trying to assist in an emergency. To ensure that risks to health are minimised it is essential for schools to establish safe systems that limit any opportunities for negligence.

4.1.7 The Department of Education’s Circular 14/96 makes it clear that children with medical needs have the same rights of admission as other children and should not be excluded from school because of these needs.

4.2. Management and Organisation

4.2.1 Check the dispensing label instructions as a safety check and ensure that the medication has been prescribed by the Prescriber and dispensed by a Pharmacist thus ensuring an audit trail. Staff should ensure that the supplied container is the original container as dispensed by a pharmacist and is clearly labelled with the name of the child, the name and dose of the medicine and the frequency of administration. This should be accompanied by a signed letter from the parent/carer confirming the dosage and timing of the medication.

4.2.2 In the event of a child refusing medication, school staff should not force them to do so. Parents/carers should be informed as a matter of urgency and if the situation is life threatening, the emergency services should be called.

As a general rule staff should not give non-prescribed medications such as pain killers to pupils. Aspirin should never be given to a child under the age of 16 unless prescribed by a doctor.

4.2.3 In Southfield Primary School the responsibility for managing the administration of medicines is assigned to the Administrator with responsibility for welfare. However due to the way schools are organised medical duties are given to first aiders on a rota basis so things such as asthma inhalers may be given/ supervised by more than one person, this may also include support staff such as SMSAs. In the case of insulin/anaphylaxis or other such regular medication a team of people will be trained to allow for staff absence, off site activities etc.

4.2.4 Records are kept of all the medicines administered at school by the Administrator responsible for welfare.

4.2.5 Teachers are made aware of any children with medical conditions. Annually all classes receive a list of children with medical conditions (including specific dietary requirements). Where relevant the teacher is also given apupil’s Individual Health Care Plan (IHCPs). Supply teachers are prompted to check the IHCPs in the “supply notes” given to all supply members of staff when they enter the school. The administration of the IHCPs and other health related documents is the responsibility of theAdministrator responsible for welfare.

4.2.6 No member of staff should be asked to administer medicines unless s/he has received appropriate training, guidance and competency check. S/he should also be aware of possible side effects of the medication and what to do if they occur. For the more commonplace medicines, appropriate training should entail familiarisation with the Local Authority’s Code of Practice.

4.2.7 Parents and staff must be kept informed of the school's arrangements for the administration of medicines and they should be informed of any changes to these arrangements.

4.3. Advice on Medication

4.3.1 Short-term ailments

Children suffering from these who are clearly unwell should not be in school and the Head is within his / her rights to ask parents/carers to keep them at home. Some parents/carers may seek to send children to school with non-prescribed medicines (e.g. cough mixtures) and generally speaking the school cannot be expected to accept responsibility for administering medicines of this nature. In cases where medicines are brought into school,children should not be expected to take responsibility for them. Medicines should be brought and collected by parents/carers. Staff should only store, supervise and administer medicine that has been prescribed for an individual child.

4.3.2 Chronic illness or disability

Children in this condition may need to take prescribed medicines during school hours in order to lead a normal and happy life. (A pupil under the age of 16 should never be given aspirin unless prescribed by a doctor).

4.3.3 Asthma

Asthma is a condition that affects the airways – the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. If a child has asthma the airways are almost always sensitive and inflamed. When a child comes into contact with something that irritates the airways (a trigger) the muscles around the airways will tighten, the linings of the airways will become inflamed and mucous will build up and get in the way of the air that is trying to reach the lungs making it difficult to breathe. (Asthma and My Child, Asthma UK 2011).

Inhalers for Asthma

Children with asthma will usually have a preventer inhaler which has the pharmacist dispensing label on it to prevent asthma symptoms such as cough, wheeze and difficulty breathing. These preventer inhalers are taken in the morning and evening and usually do not need to be given during the school day. Each child will have an emergency reliever inhaler and spacer or a breath actuated device in school. Each child should have immediate access to their emergency reliever inhaler and should never be denied access to this medication. Where possible children will be encouraged to take their own inhaler with support and supervision according to age and ability. All inhalers are stored in a readily accessible place in the School Welfare room, and made ready for use.All inhalers should be provided by the parent /carer in their original box, clearly marked with the child's name. Southfield School has a school asthma report drawn down from SIMS. Parents/carers are responsible for informing the school of any changes to the child's condition and ensuring inhalers in school are in date. The Administrator responsible for the Welfare room is trained in the management of asthma. Teaching staff are not obliged to administer medication but are required to recognise when the child needs assistance and to act in a safe and appropriate manner. Inhalers are very safe and are unlikely to cause any harm if used by another child.