Teachers in Scotland must ask pupils for permission before searching schoolbags for drugs or other prohibited items, according to new guidance issued by the Scottish National Party (SNP) government. The guidance, published by Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, tells headteachers to 'seek their own legal advice where appropriate' and warns that staff should not 'undertake a search' or investigate whether children are in possession of illegal substances, as this could raise 'privacy issues'.
The 13-page document addresses substance use, including vaping, which Ms Gilruth described as an 'emerging trend'. It states that schools should set out 'clear expectations' around both illegal and age-restricted substances, noting that even pupils who are legally old enough to buy such products should not have them in school. The guidance emphasises that school staff 'do not have the statutory right to search pupils' and may only ask a pupil to show the contents of their pockets or bags voluntarily.
The SNP government also released an update on a discipline crackdown, revealing that new guidelines on excluding unruly pupils may not be published until March next year, despite growing concerns over violence in classrooms. Temporary exclusions and permanent removals remain rare and are considered a 'last resort'. Chris McGovern of the Campaign for Real Education criticised the approach, stating: 'The Education Secretary needs to toughen up. In the best interests of the children, schools should be given the power to introduce airport-style security, including bag search.'
Scottish Tory education spokesman Miles Briggs added: 'Of course children's rights should be respected, but schools should have powers to take decisive action, especially when pupils are suspected of having drugs or weapons on school property.' He accused SNP ministers of issuing 'pointless guidance' instead of empowering teachers to permanently exclude disruptive pupils. The NASUWT teaching union reported that it still receives 'regular reports from teachers across Scotland about incidents of serious violence and abuse'.
