answer text |
<p>The Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) statutory guidance states that,
in both primary and secondary school, pupils should be taught the facts regarding
legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol
use, and drug taking.</p><p>To support schools to deliver this content effectively,
the Department published a suite of teacher training modules, including content on
drugs, alcohol and tobacco, which makes specific reference to e-cigarettes.</p><p>In
addition, content on drugs, alcohol and tobacco is taught in compulsory health education.
This supplements drug education which is part of the national curriculum for science
in Key Stages 2 and 3.</p><p>Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy
that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from
school premises. This should be communicated to all pupils, parents and school staff.</p><p>Schools
have the autonomy to decide which items should be banned from their premises, and
these can include vapes. Items banned by the school can be searched for as outlined
in the Department’s Searching, screening and confiscation guidance, available at:
<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/searching-screening-and-confiscation"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/searching-screening-and-confiscation</a>.</p><p>The
Department believes that this will help head teachers to manage vaping on school premises
and to inform pupils on the risks, with a view to reducing the numbers of pupils who
are currently vaping, or who might be tempted to try it in the future.</p><p>The Department
trusts head teachers to develop tailored behaviour policies which reflect their school’s
individual contexts and needs and to decide the best methods to enforce these policies.</p><p>Officials
in the Department have engaged with officials in the Department for Health and Social
Care to discuss the use of e-cigarettes as part of health education which includes
content on drugs, alcohol and tobacco.</p><p>The Department has brought forward the
review of the RSHE statutory guidance, which commenced in March 2023 and on 1 June
2023, the Prime Minister announced an intervention taking steps to prevent pupils
acquiring e-cigarettes illegally. As part of this, the Department is planning to include
the risks of using e-cigarettes in the RSHE curriculum, following the RSHE review.</p><p>The
Department expects to publish an amended draft of the statutory guidance for consultation
in the autumn, with a view to a final version being published in 2024.</p>
|
|