Drug Education News

The QCA have produced a set of reports on subject teaching including one on PHSE. The report has this to say about drug education as part of PHSE:

The MCA survey confirms Ofsted’s findings that the teaching of drug, alcohol and tobacco education has improved. From being seen as the most difficult area to teach in 2003/4, it has dropped to the fifth most difficult in 2004/5, and 57.3 per cent of schools (the highest number) report it as a strength.

They also note:

External speakers and visitors contribute to the delivery of the PSHE curriculum in 77 per cent of schools at key stage 3 and 76.2 per cent at key stage 4. The most popular area for them to contribute to is drug, alcohol and tobacco education (86.2 per cent), followed by sex and relationship education (84.1 per cent). However, Ofsted found that the most successful delivery of all PSHE areas was by specialist teachers, and external visitors should not replace these.

This of course reinforces the DfES guidance which is clear on the role of external contributors to drug education:

Teachers should always maintain responsibility for the overall drug education programme. External contributors should not be used as substitute teachers, nor should they constitute the entirety of a school’s drug education programme. When working directly with pupils they should add a dimension to the drug education programme that the teacher alone cannot deliver.

External contributors have a valuable role to play in supporting schools and working alongside teachers. Contributions could include advising and assisting programme planning, supporting staff through training or team-teaching and providing direct classroom input.

Schools are strongly encouraged to liaise with LEAs and their local Healthy Schools Programmes on the range of individuals and agencies who can support drug education programmes2. Many have devised quality standards and protocols for the use of external contributors and provide training to those supporting schools to ensure quality and consistency.