Drug, Alcohol, Smoking and Vaping Education Resources

Drugs and Alcohol

Swindon Borough Council has purchased access to a large PSHE resource library for all schools in Swindon which has a wealth of PSHE resources including drugs, alcohol, smoking and vaping. To sign up follow the link:  https://www.chameleonpde.com/users/sign_up?signup_path=free Chameleon PDE will then create your subscription which will run until the end of July 2024. 

UTURN is the young person substance use service in Swindon.

We work with YP aged 12-18 and up to 21 if they are Care Experienced YP.

At UTURN, we feel that all children and young people should have access to balanced, informed drug education to help them make good choices in life.

We offer harm reduction work as well as structured treatment. We understand that consent for individual referrals can sometimes be a challenge so at UTURN we would like to offer education providers the opportunity to invite us in to deliver staff training as well as us delivering drug education to groups of YP. If this is something you might like to enquire more about, please email Becky Lewis -  uturn@swindon.gov.uk.

To refer a young person, please use the following link: https://www.swindon.gov.uk/xfp/form/905

The PSHE Association provides resources for key stages 1 and 2 and for pupils with SEND. The are designed to enable you to teach engaging lessons that explore the facts, laws, risks and consequences associated with alcohol and other drug use. Your pupils will learn how to manage influences and pressure, and keep themselves healthy and safe: Drug and alcohol education (pshe-association.org.uk)

The Talk About Trust (formerly the Alcohol Education Trust) offers a free teacher manual and guidance for secondary schools: Teacher Area
This includes:

Subject/ age specific resources including Drink Spiking, Drink Driving, Staying Safe, The Law, Units and Guidance, etc can be found on both of the Alcohol Education Trust websites: Talk About Alcohol | Website and Home - Alcohol Education Trust

Wiltshire Police briefing - County Lines:

County Lines Awareness for School and College Engagement

County Lines Advice for parents and carers

Smoking and Vaping

In January 2024, Chameleon PDE launched primary school lesson plans and Powerpoints for Tobacco (year 4) and vaping (years 5 and 6). These are interactive and include some really useful tips for teaching staff on myth busting. 

You can download these here:

Tobacco lesson plan and presentation year 4

Vaping lesson plan and presentation years 5 and 6

To find out more about Chameleon PDE and their other resources for primary schools which schools can subscribe to, please contact Angela Milliken-Tull angela@chameleonpde.com

 Better Health free resources for schools to talk to young people about vaping. Aimed at Key Stage 3, three curriculum linked resources feature:

  • Information on nicotine, what vaping is and the impact it has
  • Films co-created by young people
  • Activities to prompt pupil discussion and reflection
  • Content written and reviewed by teachers
  • Guidance on teaching about vaping
  • Flexibility of use as either short form time activities or a full lesson plan
  • Endorsement from the NHS.

Talk about Trust vaping resources for schools (alcohol and cannabis resources also available via this link): https://talkabouttrust.org/schools/

ASH guidance for schools and colleges help Designated Safeguarding Leads and others to develop consistent, evidence-based policies on vaping (September 2022).  

NICE Guidance on a whole school approach to smoke free policies. 

As part of Swindon's collective efforts to tackle under-age trading of vaping products, the police are continuing to collect intelligence from schools around where children are getting disposable vapes. Please remember to ask children under 18 where they got their vape (or cigarette) from. Any information should be sent to trading standards through the Citizens Advice online portal. We’d be very grateful if you could please share this reminder with your colleagues.

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) resources on vaping can be found here and includes:

  • Two posters which can be displayed where pupils will see them, in school toilets, classrooms, canteens, and noticeboards. Both digital and printed versions are available.
  • A short, animated film which can be used in PSHE lessons, form times and assemblies, to start discussions.
  • Classroom presentation for use by teachers alongside the animated film to guide discussions.
  • Teachers' toolkit to support educators, helping answer questions and signpost students to additional support.
  • Electronic leaflet for parents and carers about smoking and vaping which can be shared via newsletters or emails.

The following web-page which can be used by teaching staff and is accessible to children and young people by Talk to Frank explains the risks of vaping Vapes | FRANK (talktofrank.com) 

Please circulate information on how to report under-age sales of single-use vapes to staff. Trading Standards South West has developed a poster for your staff room: Download the poster here.

Protecting children and preventing young people from taking up smoking and vaping is a priority of the Swindon Tobacco Control Strategy 2023-2028. Download the strategy here..