'Drinking culture' of white, middle class schools

A "drinking culture" exists in some schools dominated by white and middle class pupils in UK, according to a research.

Teenagers are more likely to drink alcohol, and more likely to drink frequently, if they are white or non-religious, according to a report published on the Department for Education's website.

The study looked at the alcohol consumption of 14- to 17-year-olds and how it was linked to other behaviour.

It shows that more than half (55 per cent) of young people have tried alcohol by age 14, with girls slightly more likely to try it than boys. By the age of 17, 85 per cent of teenagers have drunk alcohol. It also raises concerns about drinking in schools.

The report says: "We found that young people who attended schools with a larger proportion of white pupils were more likely to have tried alcohol regardless of their own ethnic group, as were those who attended schools with fewer pupils who received free school meals, again regardless of their own FSM status."