Successful Kent trial may lead to tests in all secondary schools

The successful trial of random drugs testing in a Kent school may lead the Government to introduce tests into all secondary schools in future. The Abbey School in Faversham, a non selective school with Kent's second most deprived council ward as its catchment area, introduced drugs testing last year. Over twelve months more than 600 tests were carried out with 86% of pupils agreeing to be tested. The school subsequently posted its best-ever exam results, which the school's head attributes to his zero tolerance over drugs.

'We had our best set of exam results in the school's history,' said former head teacher Peter Walker. '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.'

Following the school's results, local officials are planning to extend the pilot scheme to all Kent schools this Autumn if headteachers and parents agree. It may then be rolled out to secondary schools across over the UK.

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