DRUG EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, 2000-01
A SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE NATIONAL STATISTICS PUBLICATION This document is also available in pdf format (580k) The results of the second annual survey on drug education in schools are published
today by the Scottish Executive Education Department. In January 2001, 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 87
per cent of other schools. The main findings are:
- In 2000-01, 97 per cent of schools in Scotland provided drug education as
compared to 95 per cent in 1999-2000. Virtually all secondary schools said
they provided drug education while 98 per cent and 80 per cent of responding
primary and special schools, respectively, said they did so. A greater proportion
of local authority schools than other schools provided drug education, notably
in the primary sector. (Table 1)
- In 2000-01, 93 per cent of schools provided education on controlled drugs
and this proportion was at least as high for safe use of medicine, alcohol,
tobacco and solvents. Figures for all types of drug education show increases
from 1999-2000. (Table 1)
- 92 per cent of schools provided drug education to each pupil and 87 per
cent said that each pupil will receive drug education which provides progression
and continuity. 81 per cent of schools said they provided drug education in
line with current national advice. (Table 1)
- 61 per cent of schools with drug education programmes had revised it within
the last 2 years, and a further 31 per cent within the last 5 years. In general,
secondary schools had revised their programmes more recently than primary
schools. (Table 2)
- In 2000-01, 64 per cent of schools had written procedures for managing incidents
of drugs misuse in line with current national advice as compared to 52 per
cent in 1999-2000. These proportions were 61 per cent, 81 per cent and 65
per cent in primary, secondary and special schools, respectively. Local authority
schools were far more likely than other schools to have such procedures.
(Table 3)
- 68 per cent of schools with procedures for managing incidents of drug misuse
had revised these within the last 2 years, and a further 26 per cent within
the last 5 years. In general, secondary schools had revised their procedures
more recently than primary schools. (Table 4)
- 37 per cent of schools had written procedures for managing incidents of
tobacco smoking by pupils and 64 per cent by other school users eg teachers
and visitors. Local authority primary schools were less likely than other
schools to have such procedures for pupils. (Table
5)
- All local authority primary schools in Dundee City, North Ayrshire, North
Lanarkshire, 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, 2000-01.
Table 2 - Schools which provide drug
education by when programme was last revised, 2000-01.
Table 3 - Schools with written procedures
for managing incidents of drug misuse, 2000-01.
Table 4 - Schools with written procedures
for managing incidents of drug misuse by when last revised, 2000-01.
Table 5 - Schools with written procedures
for managing incidents of tobacco smoking, 2000-01.
Table 6 - Local authority primary schools
which provide drug education and the types of drug education involved,
2000-01. 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. 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.
4. 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. 5. 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).
6. 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. 7. Media copies of all tables are available (by fax or e-mail) from David Gow
on 0131-244-2952. 8. Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this News
Release should be addressed to Dave Sorensen, Statistician, SEED, 1-A Victoria
Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ. Telephone 0131 244 0322 or e-mail dave.sorensen@scotland.gsi.gov.uk. Contact: Fiona Wilson: 0131-244-2910
Internet: www.scotland.gov.uk
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