Drug offence Shropshire pupils to face no charges

A number of students at a prestigious Shropshire grammar school who admitted becoming involved with drugs will not face charges, police said today.

Two students were expelled and a further five suspended from Adams' Grammar School in Newport after admitting being involved with Class B drugs and headteacher Michael Barratt said there was a zero tolerance drug policy in the school.

He said no allegation would escape investigation and called in police after a student tipped off school authorities.

But today Pete Simmonds, spokesman for Newport police, said the issue would be dealt with by officers talking to students and working with the school.

"The local policing team are liaising closely with Adams' Grammar to resolve any problems," said Mr Simmonds.

"The problems at the school have been dealt with and there's no further action being taken at this time.

Intelligent

"We are working closely as a partnership with any issues that may appear.

"It is about talking and meeting with both staff and students and working together to have an intelligent and levelled approached to ensure this does not happen again."

Headmaster Michael Barratt said the school would work closely with the police to stamp out any drug use.

Mr Barratt said: "We were pleased to work closely with the police on this occasion, and on any future occasion, should the need arise, to help them to help us to support our pupils.

"We are working to further enhance our drugs education in school, with the support and co-operation of the police and/or other parties."

Mr Barratt has said students who were suspected of taking illegal substances could face random drugs tests.

He said the drugs policy of testing students at the school would be enforced if they were believed to be involved in drugs.

Adams Grammar was founded in 1656 and has 800 pupils, including 270 sixth-formers.

This year the school was again one of the best-performing in Shropshire in GCSE and A level results, with a 98 per cent pass rate for both.

It was also judged "outstanding" by Ofsted.

By Jason Lavan