PUPILS TO FACE RANDOM DRUG TESTS AT SCHOOL

Random drug testing could be introduced in all secondary schools
to help children resist peer pressure and "just say no" to drugs.

The first UK school to introduce random drug testing posted their best
ever exam results following a year-long pilot last year.

Now the Government has signalled it is keen for random drug testing to
be rolled out nationwide, depending on the success of a pilot scheme
they plan to introduce in Kent schools in autumn.

Headteachers and parents will be asked if they would like their pupils
to take part in the pilot.

Kent was chosen by the Department for Education and Skills for the
pilot because it was a local headteacher who first introduced it in
his school with astonishing results.

Peter Walker is the former headteacher of The Abbey School in
Faversham, Kent. It's a non-selective specialist school for business
and enterprise whose catchment area includes the second most deprived
council ward in the county.

Last year 600 random drug tests were carried out on pupils aged
between 11 and 18. Testing was done by mouth swabs for all classes of
drugs, including cannabis, cocaine and heroin.

Of the school's 960 pupils, 86% consented to be randomly tested. Only
one child tested positive, for cannabis.

Mr Walker said: "We had our best set of exam results in the school's
history.

"There's less disruption in the classroom, less incidents in the
playground or on the way to school.

"Children feel that they are far better protected.

"The biggest reason for taking drugs is peer group pressure. It looks
like we may well have found a way for children to have a viable way of
saying no to their peer group."

Mr Walker was immediately appointed as the UK Government's ambassador
for random drug testing since retiring as headteacher two months ago.

He is producing guidelines for other schools to follow and has met
with US drug czar John Walters to explain how a grassroots approach to
tackling drugs works.

Mr Walker said: "What you need to have with a scheme like this is a
good support programme. It's not about catching people out it's about
helping people get off drugs.

"It's about time all schools came out and accepted that there is this
problem that we need to address. Anybody who says they don't have a
drug problem in their school isn't telling the truth. If we were all
transparent that would be a good way of dealing with it."

The Government will commission research based on the forthcoming Kent
pilot to establish whether there is a direct link between random
testing and behaviour, attendance and academic achievement.

Education Secretary Alan Johnson said: "Mr Walker's drive and
commitment is impressive. A key factor was peer pressure by the kids
against taking drugs.

"I am determined schools should have all the support they need to
tackle this issue."