11 Plus Exams Forum

I don't know the schools in question, but rumours about drug problems do the rounds from time to time with most schools being mentioned at some time or other.

Often it is private schools - maybe they have more money to spend on them or maybe people like to mention it more. I don't know.
I don't think I would let it put me off a school as if you opt for the school with no problems at present then it may well have problems by the time your child is further on in the school.

Friends child at good state school said to her parents in year 7 that she was offered drugs whilst walking through the local park on the way home.

Drugs are a problem at all schools. If headteacher tells you that no child at their school will try them, walk away, becuase they will sweep any problems under the carpet. Drugs are freely available to all high school children. Hopefully we have taught iur children well.

Coolmum5,
Out of interest, how did you hear about this problem? We were considering sending our DS to Habs a couple of years ago and hadn't heard anything about this.

I take umbrage at the comment that drugs are endemic in "this type of institution". Drugs are to be found, but not endemic, in every school - comprehensive, grammar and independent. There will always be a very small minority that dabble in drugs and affluence has nothing to do with it. If that was the case then why are the most disadvantaged comps in the country rife with this problem.

And it is not the institution that is the problem but the way in which a child socialises outside of school. That is where they take the drugs, not at school although there will always be one token incident. As for HABS I would have thought the drug culture would have been less at a school like this because of the high ethnic mix. My close experience of certain ethnic communities is that the children do not have as much freedom as their white peers and they are more focussed on family life and academic excellence. In short they are far less liberal, which is not a bad thing if you're worried about drugs!

WFG - the word "endemic" is quite right. It is used when a disease or situation / practice is constantly present.
Drug use and abuse in all schools is constantly present and hence endemic or rife as you put it.
If it gets to be a higher level then maybe we call it epidemic. If people try to say it is not endemic then they are like the beloved ostrich - similar problem occurs when heads say that there school never has any bullying....

If you'd read the rest of my post you would see that I said there is a small group of drug users in every school so my head is not in the sand. If we are going to be pedantic over terminology then fine it is endemic in ALL schools!

WFG - please don't worry - I did read the rest of the post.

Yes they are endemic
and No having a stricter family life and less liberal upbringing does not lead to less risky behaviour of any sort in the long (and short term).
Amazing what happens when the strictly brought up child tastes uncontrolled freedom .... Can be a problem when people assume that any group of people from any area / school / ethnicity / religion are going to behave in a particular way.... doing years of teenage family planning clinics was very enlightening.

I am now (sadly) of the opinion that this problem is practically inescapable in all walks of life. Children are especially vulnerable, schools (all sectors) being targeted by dealers who often resort to hanging around bus/train stations, even school gates. It would be naive of me to believe otherwise. The only thing I feel able to do is have open, realistic and hopefully educational conversations with my kids and hope that they make positive choices in the future!

(while wringing my hands, going grey and hoping for the best.)