Pupils as young as seven have been caught taking blades to class, according to new figures revealing the scale of knife crime in schools across England and Wales. Data from 26 police forces recorded 748 knife-related offences in schools in 2025, including attacks and threats, up slightly from 735 in 2024.
Of the 12 forces that provided suspect ages, 33 were aged 10 or under. West Mercia Police recorded a seven-year-old boy for knife possession, while West Yorkshire Police logged two offences involving eight-year-old boys. The offences included 118 incidents of violence and 29 threats.
The mother of Harvey Willgoose, a 15-year-old stabbed to death at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield in 2025, called the figures an “emergency”. Caroline Willgoose said: “There needs to be serious consequences for knives being found in schools, and not just shoved under the carpet.” She renewed calls for metal detectors, or “knife arches”, in schools.
Shadow ministers have demanded a “zero tolerance” approach, with excluded pupils removed from mainstream education. But school leaders argue that headteachers have limited powers and that a society-wide response is needed. The government has opened a National Knife Crime Centre in London to tackle online weapon sales.
Former physics teacher Vincent Uzomah, stabbed by a pupil in Bradford a decade ago, said: “These incidents have an enormous impact. There needs to be a greater focus on attitudes from home and society, and measures to safeguard teachers and students.”
