Secondary students at an elite Gold Coast school will be subject to random drug testing as staff look to eliminate weekend drug use.

The Southport School (TSS) headmaster Greg Wain says education programs and scaremongering have not proven to be strong deterrents when it comes to drug experimentation among young people.

Mr Wain says the Anglican Church and students themselves have backed a plan to introduce random urine and saliva tests each term.

"The results come back only to me - I'm the only one who finds out about it," Mr Wain said.

"I'll get the boy in, in the first instance, which they really respect."

Mr Wain says parents would also be notified and the student concerned would receive counselling if necessary.

He has described the policy as compassionate and says it aims to keep students at the school.

Year 12 student Curtis McLeod says he believes the plan is reasonable.

"I think it's the school's job and our job - everyone's job - to look after everyone and make sure everyone is functioning at their best," he said.

"It's a duty of care - If it's best for the students, I don't think there's any problem with the school encroaching on the weekend."

And year 11 student Will Robinson says most of his friends support the idea.

"I think it's just so students are making the most of their time at school rather than coming to school on a Monday morning and for the first three days of the week not being on top of themselves," he said.

"They're on top of their work and really focussed."