According to the Department for Education, in the event of a suspected drug-related incident:

Schools are not authorised to conduct drug tests or to insist they can be conducted as a condition of re-entry following a suspension or exclusion. Where principals believe there is a need to conduct a search to investigate a suspected drug related incident, police should be contacted to do so.

This policy applies to all Government schools though independent and Catholic schools have been encouraged to adopt the same approach.

See further our Drugs and the Law factsheet.