Drugs at Private Schools

[abignael]

I have a DD in Sixth Form at a Surrey private school (day school) and I was recently looking at schools for my DS for the 11+ next year. I asked for her opinion on schools in the local area and was shocked that most her responses included references to the pupils there being “druggies.” I was particularly appalled when she told me that pupils at a school where I know a housemistress frequently smuggle in Ketamine and take it in their dorms. Apparently this is not uncommon at private schools - particularly boarding ones according to her. I won’t name the schools as I feel dragging their names through the mud at the behest of a teenage girl is inappropriate but could anyone enlighten me on this?

Imagine spending all that money and feeling really smug about the environment/peer group that you have bought for your child and then discovering that it was all a wasted effort.

MrsBennet I think you’re the one being smug and enjoying the prospect of these snooty private school parents discovering they’ve wasted their money.

MrsBennet is attracted to private school threads like a moth to a flame, despite the fact her extremely high achieving child is at state school- but they know so many privately educated friends that they are truly experts on the subject.

😂😂😂 my ex and his best friend went to the two poshest boys boarding schools in the U.K. I won’t name names but the schools have a big rivalry with each other.

Some of the stories they told made me cringe. Far far worse than the northern country boarding schools around where I grew up. I thought they were bad 😬 they had NOTHING on these schools.

I suppose it makes sense. These kids had nothing but money and the endless safety net of extremely powerful parents.

I hear the Swiss boarding schools are better. I mean not perfect but it’s all more civilised.

@Thehonestbadger

Because they Swiss. The young male Brits are infamous in Prague and Krakow for their partying with drugs and alcohol

Are they private school kids?

Haven’t read the whole thread, skimmed some pages. I have 2 children currently at boarding school (big well known campus co ed) and 1 who sat A levels last summer.

So far 1 has been offered drugs (cocaine , 4 years ago) and 2 have not. All have been offered alcohol and vapes. No real pressure applied. Some friendship groups take drugs and alcohol, most do not. If you are caught taking drugs then you and your friendship group all have to agree to be tested weekly. Otherwise it’s instant expulsion. I would say 2 kids are expelled every year in the school. I am fortunate my kids have no interest in drugs, they think the kids who take them are losers and will be caught eventually. The school doesn’t have much of a problem at the moment, I find these things go in waves. Vaping is the biggest issue and the school has strict punishments for this, lots of room searches etc.

I personally feel opposite. I wouldn't like my kid to attend single sex school because it delays their social development towards opposite sex. At work and in life they will have to interact with opposite sex people. Those years in secondary school are key with that regard.

It really doesn't.

Any studies to support it? I have met several men who told me how Boys school made them shy towards girls.

And I've known many girls in happy relationships who went to single sex girls schools. Not sure why I need studies when your info is just as anecdotal 🤷‍♀️

@Changeau

Not anegdotal from my side. There is a wealth of studies on that

Students from single-sex schools are more gender-salient and more anxious in mixed-gender situations: Results from high school and college samples

I did some work through the Amy Winehouse Foundation, going into schools and talking about drugs in the N/NW London area . State schools opened their doors, private schools wouldn’t even consider it. “We don’t have a drug problem”… sure.

My DDs had drug education at private school so maybe they had already got it sorted out and didn’t need another provider? You cannot read anything into a single charity not gaining access. Others do so no one need worry. it’s also in phse. Schools are inspected and cannot ignore drugs and substance education.

Schools differ in terms of how they treat Dc taking drugs. Many exclude the sellers but might attend to educate the purchasers. That’s often a far better route to take.

I don’t doubt there’s some drugs as my children’s private boarding school. Occasionally we get an email saying a pupil or two has been expelled. None of mine hang around with the types who do them though. Dc3 who is in the room currently says there’s a lot of annoying vapers who take over spaces but the drug users tend to keep to themselves. Ds2 says he knows some who do them but not at school.
My state school had an icecream van that was outside at leaving time. They sold sweets and drugs. I’ve heard that it’s still there. Presumably a different dealer but same situation. We had a few people expelled for drugs too though noone in my year. Though I knew someone who had poppers in their locker in sixth form.

To be fair my DS is at a London private day school and they have drugs talks all the time. Zero tolerance there.

Zero tolerance should be the benchmark. I like the idea of once caught, weekly tested until the end of their school days, second caught expelled. There will still be those who will not rest and try their limits, in which case good riddance.

Yes dd's school has had drugs talks. Just because they didn't use your charity doesn't mean they aren't doing it.

Sorry that was to @AgingLikeAFineJacobsCreek

Just looked at the girls grammar near us. DDs there are given fixed term for possession, permanent exclusion for dealing. Counselling is offered for possession and those under the influence. The policy covers alcohol, smoking etc too. It’s very clear on expectations and punishments. It seems fair to me. Further sanctions can be made, including permanent exclusion, depending on circumstances and previous behaviour.

There are druggies in all schools. DS was at private school many years ago and when I asked him how his friendship group formed he said ‘music, sport and we weren’t into drugs’. He then went on to tell me that he had kept the druggies secret because he knew I would tell the school. He got a first class education and friends for life.

Not to the same degree everywhere. I would like to remind you that selling drugs is a business for drug dealers who prefer regular affluent client from private school rather than occassional poor client from state school.

Also, private school is a product, a business model. Private schools developed greatest techniques of sweeping all sorts of issues under the carpet including bullying and drugs. They will not openly talk that it takes place at their school because it gives bad impression and discourages potential clients. It is all about good look and happy kids. The private schools give scholarships, bursary free places for talented kids so they will increase school's GCSE and A- level score. I personally know a boy who was offered a free place at private as soon as they got to know that he secured a place in Tiffins with top scores.
The same is with some US Univ. They look for ingenious people as they have to balance acceptable of mediocre kids from influential families . GW Bush graduated this way lol

• acceptance

This

In most schools, the approach is zero tolerance… again, that can only apply in circumstances where students get caught. The vast majority of students manage to never get caught. Even as far back as the 90s teenagers were finding ways to be covert about it, my cousin proudly boasted of keeping cocaine in a screw off jewel bit of her belly bar ring whilst boarding at school. The school was, and still is, known for being very posh here…

@DedicatedFollowerOfFashion84 a bit off the point here but at my kids co ed boarding school you are only allowed 1 stud earring. All other piercings are not allowed jewellery in them, no tattoos and no obvious coloured hair dye. These rules apply even in sixth form. One of my DDs friends got a small tattoo and was asked to not return at end of term.