The drugs menace has spread its deadly net into our schools. BHAVANI VADDE discovers how the police and headteachers are working together to combat the problem

ILLEGAL drugs have affected virtually every aspect of society and have even found their way into schools.

As a result the Government wants to arm headteachers with powerful weapons to help rid schools of this evil.

It has issued guidelines to heads on how to introduce random urine tests for pupils and use sniffer dogs to combat the problem.

Schools already have legal powers to use these tools and last June, Peter Wells, head of St Joseph's School, asked police to search the premises with a sniffer dog after suspending four pupils for drug abuse.

Insp Bob Walton says St Joseph's is not the only school that has done this.

The police are regularly called in to Swindon schools to collect and destroy small amounts of illegal substances mainly cannabis.

And Insp Walton's officers have also taken dogs onto the premises of many other schools including Churchfields School, Commonweal School and Hreod Parkway School.

"Headteachers in this borough are very responsible and work in close partnership with the police to ensure the safety of pupils," he said.

"If a headteacher reports a serious criminal offence, we would come and deal with it as in any other criminal matter."

He said that Swindon police have so far not been called out to deal with a pupil in possession of drugs on school premises.

The Evening Advertiser contacted each secondary school in the Swindon area asking about any particular drugs problems they have experienced and how they dealt with them.

They all chose to respond with a joint statement through the Swindon Association of Secondary Heads, which is printed on the following page.

Swindon police cautioned or charged 108 young people last year for drugs related offences, 88 of these were aged between 15 and 18 while 20 were between 10 and 15.

But none of these offences were thought to have been committed on a school property.

Many in education think random drug testing is not the best way to tackle the problem.

Ian Hill, secretary of Swindon branch of the National Union of Teachers, said: "School should be a place of security and learning, whether that is the case is another debate because drugs are a major problem that needs tackling.

"But I am not sure having police with sniffer dogs is the best way forward.

"I think counselling, support and awareness of the problems of drugs is the way to tackle the issue."

Dick Mattick, secretary of the NASUWT union, hopes that random testing will not be administered by teachers as they have a big enough workload.

"The Government should be overseeing an initiative such as this, rather than leaving it to individual schools.

"It is guilty of a lack of joined-up thinking. The de-classification of cannabis sends out the message that it is all right for adults and then they announce these plans.

"This seems very much like a kneejerk reaction and doesn't seem well thought through."

He said that drugs are common in all schools.

"It's very difficult for schools. There was an issue at Wootton Bassett School, it is unfortunate for one particular school when it blows up like that."

Wootton Bassett School has launched an investigation after an undercover operation by a national newspaper found drugs being sold outside the gates.

Bhavani Vadde