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SecEd: On Your Side
The dangers of
Our schools had no
choice but to close
underage drinking
Never a week goes
by where I don’t at some
Pete
point find myself staring
Henshaw
aCCOrdING TO government
open-mouthing at the latest
Editor, research, 97 per cent of parents
incredulous criticism to be
SecEd
say they are comfortable discussing
made of our nation’s schools.
the knock-on effects of alcohol use
This week, it was the completely unfair and unwarranted
with their children, but one in three
never do.
criticism of schools to come from some quarters after the
alcohol use continually comes
heavy snowfalls caused thousands to shut their doors that
bottom of polls that try to ascertain
had me shouting at the television.
which “risky activities”, such as
First, it was the leader of Manchester City Council, who
drug-use and underage sex, concern
criticised schools for closing “unnecessarily” during the big
parents the most – yet it is widely
accepted that drinking can be the
freeze.
reason why youngsters take these
Then I happened to catch a report on GMTv, live from risks.
the home of one parent who was angry that her children’s
according to avis Johns, a
school had shut for, in her opinion, longer than was
director at the charity drinkaware,
necessary during the cold snap.
the issue of how alcohol misuse can
lead to other problems is continually
a live interview with the parent from her house in
overlooked by parents.
Bolton was balanced by a studio interview with Mick She explained: “In a survey that
Brookes, general secretary of the National association of
asked whether it was exam results,
Head Teachers – but the slant of the piece was definitely
alcohol misuse, involvement in
crime, drug use, or underage sex
leaning against schools.
that concerned them most, 100 per
The parent – and I do sympathise – had been forced to
cent of parents said they were least
take time off work to look after her children and felt her concerned about alcohol.
school could be open for business.
“This is very worrying, since
But as Mr Brookes pointed out from the GMTv
there are clear links between alcohol
and other potentially damaging
sofa, when the snow fell so heavily this week and last,
activities. Of particular concern is
every head in the country faced a very difficult decision
the way that alcohol is portrayed
– weighing the potential safety risks to students against the
in society, meaning young people
obvious desire to disrupt children’s education as little as
grow up without having the potential
possible.
risks explained to them.”
The government has launched
He argued that another key factor was not simply
a campaign featuring well known
Following the launch of the chief
The CMO’s guidance
whether school sites were safe, but whether enough staff comedians, the aim of which is to
medical officer’s guidance for
An alcohol-free childhood is
could get into school, and also the risk of heavy snowfall
get parents to talk to children about the healthiest option. If they do
during the school day should a school decide to open
alcohol misuse, and the dangers
parents and youngsters about the drink alcohol, it shouldn’t be
making leaving time incredibly difficult and possibly
associated with it.
Jo Brand, russell Kaye and Bill
dangers of alcohol misuse, ministers
before they are 15.
dangerous.
Bailey are among the celebrities
and let’s not forget, all of this comes against the involved in the campaign, which
have now unveiled an internet campaign to
If young people aged 15 to 17
backdrop of health and safety and our increasingly litigious
will see them record internet “viral”
encourage parents and children to talk to each
drink alcohol, it should always
society. While heads will have made their decisions based
videos, in which they will perform
be with the guidance of a
material designed to highlight
on child safety, not one school leader out there won’t have
other about drinking. Chris Parr reports
parent or carer.
the knock-on effects of drinking
thought about the danger of landing themselves with a
irresponsibly.
lawsuit should a child have slipped and broken a limb after It comes after research by the until they are at least 15-years-old, He said: “research tells us
Parents and young people
trying to make it into lessons.
parents advice website Mumsnet, and that even then it should be in a that young people who regularly should be aware that drinking,
and I promise you this – if a school had opened for
which found that although 90 supervised environment. drink alcohol are more likely to
even at age 15 or older, can be
per cent of parents recognise that Ms Johns continued: “Teachers fall behind in school, be involved
business in the driving snow and a child or a parent had
hazardous to health. If children
alcohol is harmful to children and are often in a position to pick up on in road traffic accidents, or have
slipped in the playground and shattered a pelvis or broken
young people, one in three do not signs that a child is being affected unsafe sex. If parents discuss the
aged 15 to 17 drink alcohol
an arm, the television cameras and national news reporters
discuss the role alcohol plays in by alcohol misuse at home, either link between alcohol and these
they should do so infrequently
would have then been in their home criticising the school
other issues such as sex, drugs or by themselves or by adults around other issues, they can make sure it’s and no more than once a week.
for opening rather than closing!
personal safety. them. their child making the decisions,
More than 60 per cent of the “Unfortunately, we need more not the alcohol.” SecEd
Of course I feel for the parents out there, many of whom
The importance of parental
parents asked were not at all resources to help them to talk about
struggled to find childcare and so had to take time off work concerned that their child would it. This is why the CMO’s guidance
Further information
influences on children’s alcohol
and probably had to take holiday in order to do this. But
drink alcohol, and 30 per cent is so welcome. Talking about the For the CMO guidance, search for
use should be communicated
such is life, and surely most parents would recognise the
had never discussed the risks of problem helps to make it less of a “alcohol guidance” at www.dh.gov. to parents, carers and
importance of ensuring our children are safe.
doing so. taboo,” she added. uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/
professionals. Parents and
It follows guidance from ed Balls, secretary of state for Publications/
If they do want to lay blame, then it is our paranoid and
carers need advice on how to
Professor Sir Liam donaldson, children, schools and families, said
The drinkaware website also
litigious society they should blame, not headteachers and the chief medical officer (CMO), that underage drinking was often the
has resources for teachers. visit
respond to alcohol use and
schools.
published last month, which said that “forgotten factor” when young people
www.drinkaware.co.uk/talking-to- misuse by children.
Quickly returning to the comments from the leader of
children should not touch alcohol get involved in risky behaviour.
under-18s/professionals
the council in Manchester – I would think that considering
temperatures in the city reportedly fell as low as minus
15°C last week, the school closures were totally justified.
IN rESpONSE…
His comments that many school closures seemed
unnecessary are not appropriate at all. If he were in the
Earlier this month, ministers “It’s vital that all young people our youth into debt when they go attention to the deficiency
unveiled details about what leave school with a basic to university, but the disgrace is in financial capability of
position of many heads in the city, would he have opened
secondary students will be understanding of how to manage we’ve never educated them about consumers that also contributed
the doors for students? I doubt it.
expected to learn about when their money sensibly. So it’s debt – no surprise that over the last to the development of the
Quite rightly in this climate of health and safety which
financial education becomes really important that we teach our 20 years we’ve dug a hell hole of situation. There is no doubt that
our society lives in, when the country is hit by the most
a compulsory part of the children about money matters like personal borrowing problems. mismanagement of personal
severe cold snap for 30 years schools erred on the side of
curriculum in September 2011, pensions, responsible saving, and This is a welcome first step. We finances contributes to rising
as part of PSHE. effective money management. must ensure no child leaves school debt, poverty and social
caution and closed their doors.
Among the topics to be That’s why I’ve announced without knowing that a company’s exclusion, all of which have
So I say leave our schools alone. covered are how mortgages PSHe, which includes economic job is to make money and sell to serious knock-on effects on the
Heads have been faced with tough decisions on whether
work, handling household bills, wellbeing and financial capability, them, how debt works, and when economy at large.
to close or not, and it is guaranteed that whether they opted
the impact of money problems will be compulsory for all children and how to do it safely, and that we We firmly believe that schools
to stay open or remain closed, they will have made the
on individuals, and managing from September 2011. We need live in a competitive economy and provide ideal environments to
credit cards. to make sure all young people by knowing how your cash works start shaping positive attitudes to
best decision they could in very difficult and unpredictable
At primary level, youngsters have the information they need to you can lead a better life.” money management, but much
circumstances. SecEd will learn about saving money prepare them for the complexities more remains to be done to make
in a piggybank and how to of today’s modern world.” Anne Kiem, vice principal at the a lasting impact.”
• Pete Henshaw is editor of Seced and delivering diplomas.
manage a bank account. ifs School of Finance:
Martin Lewis, creator of “In the debate about the causes • Read our coverage of this story
Email him at editor@sec-ed.co.uk or visit www.sec-ed.co.uk
Ed Balls, secretary of state for MoneySavingExpert.com: of the financial crisis, few at www.seced.co.uk (search for
and www.deliveringdiplomas.com
children, schools and families: “Like many nations, we educate commentators have given due “handling money”).
6 SecEd • January 14 2010
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