BBC survey: over half of secondary teachers in England say vaping is a problem at their school

Key Points

• Granville Academy identified a growing vaping problem after reports of theft, vaping in school toilets and use on the walk home.
• A county pilot that began late last year tasks pupils with leading change, supported by an action plan with peer education, assemblies and warning signs.
• Head teacher Gemma Lowe said detentions and toilet-design changes did not deliver improvement, concluding punitive measures alone would not work.
• A BBC survey found more than half of secondary teachers in England believe vaping is a problem in their school; a fifth reported installing vape detectors.
• Derbyshire County Council said it is setting up a youth-focused smoking and vaping cessation service that could offer 12 weeks of support, mainly based in schools.

2Firsts, February 5 2026

According to the BBC, vape detectors are a common sight at Granville Academy in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, as the school tackles vaping among pupils through a new approach that places students at the centre of change.

The report said the school recognised a rising problem after receiving reports of pupils stealing vapes from shops, vaping in school toilets and using them while walking home. With punitive methods such as detentions described as ineffective, the school has joined a county effort to become vape-free by adopting a different approach.

Under a pilot project overseen by Derbyshire County Council that began late last year, pupils have been tasked with turning things around. The council has supported the school in developing an action plan that includes peer-to-peer educational classes and assemblies, alongside prominent signage warning about the health implications of vaping.

Head teacher Gemma Lowe said that despite increasing detentions and even changing the design of toilets to prevent pupils gathering there, the school was not seeing an improvement, leading her to conclude punitive measures alone would not work. She said: “It is really difficult… we can only control what we can control.”

The class was led by pupils Ocean, Alex and George, who played an educational video put together by students. Ocean said vapes were being passed around in school, especially between older and younger pupils, and that Year 7 appeared most impacted by peer pressure. The group said more needed to be done to provide support services outside school tailored to helping young people stop vaping.

The report also referenced a recent BBC survey finding more than half of secondary school teachers across England believe vaping is a problem in their school, and that a fifth had taken measures such as installing vape detectors. The NASUWT teachers’ union said vapes should be added to a list of banned items, giving schools the right to search pupils if they suspect they have one.

Derbyshire County Council acknowledged there was currently no smoking and vaping cessation service that young people could reliably access in Derbyshire, despite estimates that about 3,000 pupils in the county are regularly vaping. It said it is setting up a youth-focused cessation service funded through local public health grants; if approved, it is likely to be primarily based in schools and offer 12 weeks of support for children to quit vaping, smoking or both.

Granville Academy said vape use appeared to have reduced since the pilot started and that the government’s ban on disposable vapes had also helped. Lowe said an external support service for young people would make a “massive difference”, adding that resources available through school were becoming increasingly stretched and that current pathways often rely on staff referrals and may involve extended waits.

A government spokesperson said: “We have always been clear that children should never vape. We have already banned single use vapes and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will end their advertising and sponsorship, as well as enable government to limit flavours, packaging, and display.”

Image Source: BBC