A NIGHT time curfew could be imposed in Camelford to keep unruly teenagers off the streets.

The option has been discussed following concerns over the behaviour of some students from Sir James Smith's Community School.

Now parents, the school and the police are working together to draw up a protocol agreement to safeguard local teenagers.

A recent letter from the school to parents outlined worries over under-age drinking, drunkenness, students' safety, drugs and violent behaviour stemming from alcohol misuse.

The letter cites an incident at which a number of students attended an unsupervised all night party in a field near Valley Truckle, and at which pupils as young as 13 attended, taking with them alcohol, cigarettes and sleeping bags.

Camelford mayor Brian Lush reported the issue to councillors at a recent town council meeting.

"It is a big concern when children are being left as feral kids and are unsafe,'' he said.

Bob Pearcey, a director of teaching and learning at St James Smith's, said the school was working with parents and other agencies on options to safeguard students.

"At Sir James Smith's Community School we regularly hold Parent Information Evenings (PIEs) which deal with issues such as internet use and abuse, drugs and social and emotional learning. Many of these events are planned in conjunction with other agencies such as the police,'' he said.

"In discussions with some parents we thought it might be appropriate to organise a PIE where parents, teachers, the police and any other agencies who felt they could get involved – such as the Youth Service and Health Service – could meet in the evening and discuss a basic protocol that everyone present felt was a workable option for parents with teenage children to allow safe and sensible social time for the children in our care.

"Many suggestions were made, ranging from an agreed time for 14-year-old and 16-year-old students to be home in the evenings during the week, to suggestions as to how parents could contact each other through a simple 'telephone tree' when their child is visiting friends.

"We are in the process of collating all the information and we will be discussing the issues further in a future meeting with parents and other agencies."

The essence of the final protocol will be consistency, said Mr Pearcey.

"The main message that parents want to pass on to other families is one of fairness but being able to stick to boundaries in the knowledge that other parents are doing the same – avoiding the issues where a child may say to a parent 'but my friend's mum lets her stay out' – or similar pressure statements.

"Although this is not particularly a school issue, we feel that we are playing a major role in the lives of young people and that, as part of our community agenda, we will do as much as we can to help."