A drug and alcohol education project that aims to involve children, their parents and the wider community has started in some Nottingham schools. Education Correspondent MICHAEL GREENWELL reports.

CHILDREN and their parents are being brought together in the classroom to tackle drug and alcohol misuse.

The new DrugAware scheme is said to be a first because of the way it involves schools and their communities.

The £250,000 programme has been tried at Hadden Park High School, in Bilborough, and is now being run at a further 16 schools.

It has already started at five primary schools in St Ann's and Sneinton, and secondary schools and pupil referral units will be visited in the future.

Council workers want communities to have a "shared vocabulary" about drug and alcohol issues and increased confidence to talk about substance misuse.

Coun David Mellen, city council portfolio holder for children's services, said: "Schools who have signed up to DrugAware are working hard to bring in a new, robust drugs policy, involving the whole school community in its development, so that there is a clear protective response to substance and alcohol misuse.

"We hope that this approach will give parents greater confidence and knowledge so they can support their children to reach their full potential both now and in years to come."

In St Ann's, Blue Bell Hill Primary, Hogarth Primary and Nursery, and Huntingdon Primary and Nursery schools are already involved.

In Sneinton, Sycamore Primary, and Windmill Primary and Nursery schools are also part of the scheme.

Jo Bradley, head teacher of Blue Bell Hill, said: "The whole school community is pleased to see this new approach being introduced to schools.

"It is so important to give our children and their families as much information as possible in order for them to make the right choices."

Pupils at Blue Bell Hill Primary have been designing posters for their community to highlight the effects of using drugs.

Year five and six pupils also took part in a two-day programme called The House That Crack Built – focusing on drug dealing and developed from the book of the same name by Clarke Taylor.

Award

Both schools will complete their award in March.

Huntingdon Primary School held DrugAware sessions last week, in which every pupil took part in classroom activities about drug and alcohol abuse.

Key Stage One pupils learned about hazards in the home and Key Stage Two pupils took part in role play.

Children had to guess how many units alcoholic drinks contained and discussed what DrugAware meant to them.

At Hadden Park High School, in Bilborough, pupils completed online tests to help the school to decide on areas that need addressing. They hope to identify those who are most vulnerable to the issues of drink and drug abuse.

Assistant head teacher Craig Dean said: "We are also working with Trading Standards and starting to address the sale of alcohol to underage children."

To achieve DrugAware status, schools must monitor their pupils' involvement and carry out regular staff training.

Schools must include effective lessons and activities focused on medicine, drugs and alcohol misuse in the curriculum.

Parents and the community must also be involved with outreach sessions delivered by community development workers.

Schools are also being visited by police community support officers and the drugs team from Notts Police.

DrugAware is being targeted at all city schools as part of Nottingham's Early Intervention Programme and is being delivered by Nottingham City Council's healthy schools team, Catch 22 and Trading Standards.

For more details about the DrugAware Award visit www.nottinghamdrugaware. org.uk.