Drugs Policy
The school aims to promote health and awareness associated with drug related issues.
We in the Belfast Boys' Model School are aware of the Drug Climate within our community and our intention is:
- to prevent our young people being involved or to postpone experimentation to a later date.
- to protect those young people for whom drug use is not an issue.
The School Ethos
We at the Belfast Boys' Model School are committed to preparing our pupils for adult life by;
- developing high self-esteem
- social and communication skills
- Physical, Spiritual, Emotional and Moral well being.
We aim to offer a well ordered, caring, stimulating and safe environment that is drug free. To deliver a broad balanced and relevant Curriculum which includes drugs education as a CCT.
We believe that all pupils should be given the opportunity to achieve their academic potential and to make informed and appropriate choices.
It is the policy of Belfast Boys' Model School to extend its drugs policy to cover the actions of pupils who are not necessarily on school premises, but nevertheless are wearing school uniform. This would include instances of boys travelling to and from school, attending functions, sporting events or residentials, or at break or lunchtime. Any pupils found to be involved with drugs by whatever means or actions, will be subject to the full force of the school disciplinary procedures for drug related incidents.
Definitions
The Department of Education has defined a drug as "any substance which, when taken, has the effect of alternating the way a person behaves, feels, sees or thinks". (Department of Education - Misuse of Drugs: Guidance for Post Primary Schools 1996).
Therefore, the term "drugs" as used in this policy statement, encompasses a large number of substances ranging from those which are legal, but whose sale is restricted, such as alcohol, tobacco and prescribed drugs, to those which are illegal, such as cannabis, cocaine and LSD.
Rationale
The school aims to promote health and awareness associated with drug related issues and to create a climate of support, confidence and fulfilment in which drug misuse is unlikely to flourish.
Aims
- To understand what drugs are. This includes both legal and illegal drugs and those used for medical and non-medical purposes.
- To highlight the existence of illegal drugs as described in the four main groups.
- To look at why people use drugs and the pressures which exist in society.
- To help pupils deal with situations in which they find themselves and to give them the confidence to say no.
- To improve self-esteem and introduce life skills to deal with problems.
- To introduce the Law and make pupils aware of the consequences of their actions.
Objectives
- To equip pupils with the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to avoid the misuse of drugs.
- To provide opportunities to understand the terms 'legal' and 'illegal' use and 'medical' and 'non-medical' use.
- To provide opportunities to appreciate the classification of illegal drugs into four main groups.
- To educate, advise and counsel in order to:
a) Minimise the number of young people who engage in drug misuse.
b) Enable pupils who are misusing drugs or have concerns about the misuse of drugs to seek help.
c) Promote an understanding of how the pressures that exist in everyday life may lead to drug use and to develop life skills to cope with these pressures.
d) Make pupils aware of the legal stand-point on drug use and appreciate the possible consequences of particular actions.
Programme
The drug education programme is a five year programme delivered through the P.S.E curriculum:
Year 8
Introduction to drug education including smoking and alcohol as two of the most commonly used drugs which have the most widespread effects on society at present.
We supplement the teacher based education programme with outside agencies including 'BELB Youth Services, Dunlewey Substance Advice Centre' and with audio-visual material.
Year 9
There are two units on drugs for this year group which cover such topics as - What are drugs?, pressures to use drugs, types of drug and their effects and peer pressure. There is also material provided by the Dunlewey Centre.
Year 10
At this stage we categorise the drugs into the four main groups highlighting the most commonly used drugs in this community - cannabis, ecstasy, LSD and solvents.
There are also additional units on solvents and alcohol.
Year 11
This unit focuses on 'peer pressure' and who can help.
Year 12
This section expands the factual information given in previous years about all the issues associated with drug use.
Personnel
The programme will primarily be delivered by form teachers during the P.S.E period. There will also be visiting speakers.
Staff Development Issues
Staff training must also be on-going to ensure that relevant information is being passed on with confidence and support.
Evaluation
This will be carried out on a regular basis to include the content, its mode of delivery and its perceived impact on the pupils.
This will take the form of a questionnaire for both pupils and staff.
Future Development
This type of education programme demands constant up-dating to keep abreast of any changes in the culture and the law.
A greater use of the increasing high quality audio visual material would be enhanced by the use of wide screen projection to larger groups.
Development into the Senior School is also seen as essential in order to promote a whole school approach to drugs education.