Teachers will be allowed by law to search children for drugs, alcohol and cigarettes in school under proposals today which will be accepted by the Schools Secretary.

Sir Alan Steer, the Government's behaviour adviser, will make the proposal in a report to Ed Balls, along with a call for more cooperation between parents and schools to stamp out poor behaviour before it happens.

His recommendations come after a speech last week, in which he said that parents must take more responsibility for tackling violence among their teenage children.

Sir Alan - who concludes that behaviour remains good and is improving in the majority of schools - nevertheless says that more must be done to keep drugs and drink out of schools.

The Government has already legislated to give schools the right to search for knives and dangerous weapons. Schools can also, if they wish, screen pupils for weapons using arch and wand metal detectors.

Sir Alan now proposes legislation to allow teachers to search for drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and stolen property. He also says that, for most schools, alcohol is a bigger problem than drugs.

Although, in practice, teachers at present would search children if they suspected them of having drugs or drink, Sir Alan suggests that they should have the power spelt out in law to avoid any challenge.

It is likely to be done through an amendment to the Education and Skills Bill, currently going through Parliament, or a new, shorter Bill in the autumn.

He also proposes:

- Schools should work more closely with the police. He says officers cannot tackle problems like substance misuse alone and recommends that a larger number of schools should establish safer school partnerships with police

- Encouraging instant feedback to parents through online reporting and text alerts about children’s behaviour

- Funding for parental support advisors, which Sir Alan will claim are highly effective in improving behaviour where parental involvement is key

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