Teachers win right to frisk pupils for drink, drugs and cigarettes



Crafty smoke: But teachers have won the right to frisk pupils for inappropriate items, such as cigarettes

Teachers will be able to frisk pupils for drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and stolen goods in a crackdown on bad behaviour.

Staff will win the legal right to conduct forcible searches of those suspected of smuggling in 'inappropriate items' in a drive to stop a growing culture of drug-taking and under-age drinking spilling into schools.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls will accept a recommendation from the Government's 'behaviour-tsar' to extend existing powers-allowing teachers to frisk for knives and guns.

Sir Alan Steer, appointed by ministers to advise on measures to improve discipline, believes the weapon search powers in place since June last year need to operate in conjunction with rights to look for contraband items.

But he will say that headmasters see binge- drinking among teenagers as a more serious problem-than drugs for their schools. Mr Balls welcomed Sir Alan's plans and signalled that ministers will bring in legislation to implement extended search powers.

Schools can already look for weapons by removing children's jackets and jumpers and 'patting down' their clothing. They can also screen them using the sort of metal detectors seen at airports.

But while they can ask pupils suspected of possessing drugs to turn out their pockets and open their bags and are protected if they search a jacket or a bag with the pupil's consent, only police can frisk for drugs or other items. Staff must call their local force if they believe a search is warranted.

Mr Balls said: 'I want to build on the powers we have given teachers following Sir Alan's recommendations on searching for weapons by extending these to cover drugs, alcohol and other inappropriate items.

'It will ensure that everyone knows a teacher's authority in the classroom is unquestionable and teachers are clear about their right to use them.'

Figures from his department show that 400 pupils were expelled last year for drug and alcohol-related offences, and there were 8,180 suspensions.

Surveys suggest that growing numbers of pupils are turning up to lessons drunk or hungover.

Teachers' leaders gave only a guarded welcome to the proposals last night. Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said: 'Teachers would need to exercise these powers with great caution.

'While teachers may have the power to search, we don't have the power to stop the pupil reacting against the search, and the reaction could be extreme.

'These pupils are not likely to be models of good behaviour in the school community, and any situation could be extremely volatile.

'If teachers are given these powers, which they would welcome them, they also need to be given protection and should not have to search alone.'

In other measures, parents will get text alerts before 10am if their children are suspected to be playing truant or are late for school.

The aim is to give parents a greater role in tackling school indiscipline by giving them instant feedback on their children's behaviour either through text messages or regularlyupdated online reports.

Mr Balls said: 'Both schools and parents need to work closely together to maintain discipline which is a fundamental ingredient to making sure children learn to the best of their abilities.

'I know of schools where parents are texted before 10am if their child has not turned up - this kind of early alert really helps to nip problems in the bud.

'Online reporting can also help parents track their child's progress and help them feel more involved.'

Speaking ahead of his report, Sir Alan, a long- serving headmaster, highlighted a culture of greed and incivility among adults as contributing to teen aggression and violence.

Despite heightened public concern about unruly youths, Sir Alan insisted problems should not be 'exaggerated'.

His report, to be issued today, will also call for more schools to get parent support advisers to help families enforce discipline, and better teacher training in behaviour management.