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News Release
DRUG EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, 2001/2002

17 October 2002

A SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE NATIONAL STATISTICS PUBLICATION

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The results of the third annual survey on drug education in schools are published today by the Scottish Executive Education Department.

In April 2002, local authorities in Scotland were asked to collect information on the drug education provided by all of the schools under their control. Each school was required to give details of whether they provided drug education, what type of drug education they provided and also their procedures for managing incidents of drugs misuse and tobacco smoking. Around the same time, all other schools in Scotland (i.e. independent, grant-aided and opted-out schools) were also asked to provide similar details of their drug education policies and procedures.

Responses were obtained from 99 per cent of local authority schools and 88 per cent of all other schools.

The main findings are:

• In 2001/02, 98 per cent of schools in Scotland provided drug education as compared to 97 per cent in 2000/2001. Virtually all secondary schools said they provided drug education while 99 per cent and 94 per cent of responding primary and special schools said they did so. A greater proportion of local authority schools than other schools provided drug education. (Table 1)
• In 2001/02, 98 per cent of schools provided education on controlled drugs (compared with 93 per cent for 2000/2001) and this proportion was at least as high for safe use of medicine, alcohol, tobacco and solvents. Figures for all types of drug education in education authority schools show increases from 2000/2001. (Table 1)
• 97 per cent of schools provided drug education to each pupil at some point during their schooling, and 94 per cent said that each pupil will receive drug education which provides progression and continuity throughout their schooling (compared with 92 per cent and 87 per cent respectively for 2000/2001). 91 per cent of schools said they provided drug education in line with current national advice. (Table 1)
• 87 per cent of schools reported that they had access to a health education co-ordinator. This figure was higher in the local authority schools.
• 63 per cent of schools with drug education programmes had revised it within the last 2 years, and a further 32 per cent within the last 5 years. In general, secondary schools had revised their programmes more recently than primary schools. (Table 2)
• In 2001/02, 76 per cent of schools had written procedures for managing incidents of drugs misuse in line with current national advice as compared to 64 per cent in 2000/2001. These proportions were 74 per cent, 87 per cent and 80 per cent in primary, secondary and special schools, respectively. Local authority schools were more likely than other schools to have such procedures. (Table 3)
• 67 per cent of schools with procedures for managing incidents of drug misuse had revised these within the last 2 years, and a further 30 per cent within the last 5 years. (Table 4)
• 51 per cent of schools had written procedures for managing incidents of tobacco smoking by pupils and 73 per cent by other school users e.g. teachers and visitors (compared with 37 per cent and 64 per cent respectively in 2000/2001). Primary schools were less likely than other schools to have such procedures for pupils. (Table 5)
• All local authority primary schools in Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, Renfrewshire, Shetland, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire reported that each pupil will receive drug education which provides progression and continuity and that all types of drug education were covered. In other local authorities, the vast majority of primary schools said that they provided each form of drug education. (Table 6)

The following tables are available:

Table 1 - Schools which provide drug education and the types of drug education involved, 2001/02.
Table 2 - Schools which provide drug education by when programme was last revised, 2001/02.
Table 3 - Schools with written procedures for managing incidents of drug misuse, 2001/02.
Table 4 - Schools with written procedures for managing incidents of drug misuse by when last revised, 2001/02.
Table 5 - Schools with written procedures for managing incidents of tobacco smoking, 2001/02.
Table 6 - Local authority primary schools which provide drug education and the types of drug education involved, 2001/02.

NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS

1. The survey covers all primary, secondary and special schools but not pre-school education centres. The results exclude responses from a small number of special schools for whom provision of drug education is not appropriate for some or all of their pupils, due to complex learning difficulties.
2. For the purposes of this survey, drugs are defined as mood changing substances including medicine, alcohol, tobacco, solvents and controlled drugs such as, for example, cannabis, cocaine and heroin.
3. Current national advice on drug education is set out in the following:

• How Good is our School? (The Scottish Office, 1996) - performance indicator 1.2 (quality of course or programme).
• A Route to Health Promotion (Aberdeen City Council, HEBS, HMI, 1999).
• HELP UP-DATE on drug and nutrition education (LT Scotland Curriculum File No 9).
• 5-14 national guidelines on health education.

1. A school is defined as providing drug education to each pupil if every pupil who stays at that school 'from start to finish' will receive drug education at some point. To provide 'progression and continuity', it would be expected that each pupil would receive drug education at several stages during their time at a particular school.
2. Current national advice on managing incidents of drugs misuse is set out in the following:

• HMI reports : Issues in health education and promotion (1996) and Drug and nutrition education (1999).
• HELP UP-DATE 1998.
• Guidelines for the Management of Incidents of Drug Misuse in Schools (SDST, SEED, 2000).

1. This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.
2. Copies of all tables are available through the following hyperlink http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00200-00.asp
3. Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this News Release should be addressed to Neil White, Assistant statistician, SEED, 1-A Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ. Telephone 0131 244 0300 or e-mail neil.white@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Contact: John Booth 0131 244 4001
Internet: www.scotland.gov.uk

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