Are any of you teachers? It’s just that I am a little concerned about needing my insulin as I have heard stories in rough schools where kids will do anything to get their hands on needles, and where there has even been a case where a kid gave another kid a near leathal dose of insulin.
I’m a substitute teacher for grades K-12. Although the district I teach within currently has never left me feeling concerned about malevolent seizure of my personal belongings, my resume includes student teaching experience at two “rough schools.” One, an alternative learning center -importing kids who were expelled, and some removed from their homes, for delinquent behavior; in addition, professional semester spent at a gigantic inner-city high school in a vicinity where 15 murders had occurred that year.
This may sound scary, but the reality of working in this kind of environment is really quite different. (i.e. - not as bad as storytellers & media folk would have you believe. The kid administering the near leathal injection seems like an isolated incident bejeweled by a news source that uses scare tactics to keep your eyes on the paper, or glued to the tv set.)
Although I am doubtful of terrible things ensuing here, I will add that when I was first diagnosed, my doctor had me using syringes and I can’t say that it didn’t frequently cross my mind that they could end up in the wrong hands for ill purposes. Since I’ve switched to pen needles, however, that thought seems foreign. Perhaps you can switch to pen-needles and carry your needle caps in your pockets, separate from your insulin pen?
At any rate, I can’t imagine that the school you are going to be working within would not have a safe place for you to stash your belongings. If you have reason to worry, lock your belongings in a closet, or desk drawer, keeping only your testing supplies and emergency glucose tablets close at hand.
I’m a teacher. I had one of my student teaching practicums in a somewhat rough, inner-city school. I had one night where I accidentally lost supplies there and was terrified they’d gotten stolen by a student, but it turns out a teacher had just moved them. I always kept my supplies out of sight and away from student access. I used insulin pens at the time so there weren’t syringes lying around; I would recommend you switch if you are currently using syringes. As with anywhere, I disposed of all sharps safely. But I agree that I suspect instances of students giving other students injections are probably isolated incidences rather than common place, even in inner-city schools.
Then what is it that is so wrong with the school systems in England?
Please have a look at some of the instances on this thread on a teachers website.
http://www.tes.co.uk/section/staffroom/thread.aspx?story_id=2335563&path=/behaviour/&threadPage=1
Apparently this is standard behavior. Where are you from? whereever it is I am going there. 
Hey Rebekah, you should join our teachers with diabetes group. Search in the group section and click on it to join.
I have been teaching for 16 years, 13 of these w/T1, but never been worried about my diabetes supplies being used innapropriately. However, I am in a rural school. Do you have a locked cabinet you can use? I have been using a pump for quite sometime, so I don’t have to bring needles anymore:)