editorial comment Actually, if they could force them to study, that may be more useful. And yet a new version of that old broken record titled "Protect the Children".

Schools should be able to force pupils to be tested for drugs, the Tories said today.

A Kent school has introduced random drug-testing, but only those students willing to take part will be tested.

But shadow education secretary Tim Collins said schools should be able to test children without their or their parents’ consent.

“(Headteachers) should actually have the power to require their pupils to do it or to face disciplinary action if they refuse,” he said.

“If we are serious about excluding drugs from our schools... we can’t just operate on a laissez-faire and voluntary basis.”

Mr Collins told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that compulsory testing would send out a clear signal that schools had a “zero tolerance” approach to drugs.

“Teachers should have the power to require all pupils to be tested and backing up that, of course, if a pupil is found to fail a drug test. headteachers should have the right to expel that child without any form of appeal being able to overrule that decision.”

The Abbey School in Faversham, Kent, has introduced random drug-testing. Under the scheme, 20 names will be drawn from a list of pupils who said they were willing to be tested. They will then be tested by specially-trained non-teaching members of staff.

Pupils found to be taking drugs will not necessarily be excluded. Their parents would be asked to discuss the situation with staff to determine what action should be taken.

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